Most charter schools are newly created, while some are converted from existing schools. They serve many different communities with a wide variety of curriculum and instructional practices. They vary a lot from state to state and school to school. Most teachers in charter school are certified. Most charter schools provide one or more non-instructional services, like health, social services, or extended day care.
Many charter schools use student achievement tests to measure performance.
Whether or not charter schools improve student performance has yet to be determined. Through the Public Charter Schools Program the U.S. Department of Education offers grants to states, which then award subgrants to individual schools to assist them in planning, design, and initial implementation of new charter schools. Dissemination grants are also available to successful charter schools, with three or more years of experience, to support activities through which they help other groups open new or improve existing public schools. Charter schools are also eligible for funding under other federal programs. This is the area in which current research is centered and where more data are needed.