Chicago Public Schools Charter Schools Charter schools are public schools with unique missions, operated independently from the Board of Education by community organizations, universities, foundations, and teachers. They are open to all students in Chicago, free of tuition. The Chicago Public Schools funds charter schools, and the schools are accountable to CPS for student achievement. Each charter school is operated by its own individual school board.
Charter schools have control over budgets, school calendars, hiring and firing, and curriculum.
Many charter schools choose to have longer school days and school years than traditional public schools. To ensure a cohesive staff, the boards choose teachers and principals whose ideas are congruent with the school's vision and mission. Charter schools are tuition-free and have no entrance criteria. They are open to all students living in Chicago with no academic entrance requirements. If the number of applications exceeds the number of available slots, the schools conduct random lotteries.