StudentsFirst.org has a great post about understanding charter schools.
Charter schools are public schools that operate with more flexibility than traditional district schools. Yet, many people mistakenly refer to them as “private,” or say they simply don’t understand what category they fall into. We wanted to answer some of the common questions we have received about charter schools. So, we turned to James Merriman, chief executive officer of the New York City Charter School Center for some answers.
As a parent one of the things we have to do first is educate ourselves about the options that our there. It can be overwhelming prospect, especially when it’s been so long since we’ve hit the books ourselves.
Thankfully we have the internet. Everyday I find new sources and people who are out there sharing information. We’ll definitely post things here as we find them.
And also remember that there are a lot of schools out there that you can tour. We’ve found that people who are running charters and other educational alternatives are very open to sharing the knowledge they have.
The key is getting out there and starting the journey. Good Luck!