Charter schools are nonsectarian public schools of choice that operate free from many of the regulations that apply to traditional public schools. Publicly funded and open to all students with no admission testing or screening, each school has a charter, or performance contract, detailing its program, goals, and methods of assessment.
Charter schools operate with increased autonomy in exchange for accountability.
Thirty-six states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico have charter school laws in place. Maryland has not yet passed charter school legislation. Maryland children and families need the best public education that we can provide. Across the country, charter schools are serving the same students as traditional public schools. In some states charter schools serve significantly higher percentages of minority or economically disadvantaged students than the traditional public schools.