Inc. Sisulu was the first charter school to open in New York on September 8, 1999. The four new schools were chosen, with 13 other schools, from more than 90 applications received in 1999 by the Charter Schools Institute. The schools survived one of the nation s most rigorous and thorough review processes, involving detailed review by the Institute, the University Trustees as well as the State Education Department and the Board of Regents. Two new public charter schools Bronx Preparatory Charter School in the South Bronx and King Center Charter School in East Buffalo opened August 16, a full three weeks earlier than virtually every other public school in New York State. Bronx Prep and King Center were also authorized by the State University Trustees.
Charter schools are public schools that are publicly funded and independent of school districts.
In exchange for flexibility from many state rules, they are held to a higher level of accountability and operate under five-year licenses granted by the State University of New York and the Board of Regents.