King Center Charter School was created under the Charter Schools Act of 1998, proposed by Governor Pataki and approved by the Legislature. The school allows for the creation of 100 new public charter schools 50 each by the State University of New York Trustees and the Board of Regents with an unlimited number of conversions of existing public schools to charter schools. King Center is one of 17 schools that have been authorized by the SUNY Trustees. The Fund was proposed by Governor Pataki to help new charter schools with such critical needs as capital improvements, equipment, teacher training and other needs. The school will use the state funds to create new playground and parking areas.
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.