In addition, the 2000-2001 state budget marks the fifth year that the General Assembly has allocated planning funds for charter public schools. Successful, well-managed charter public schools can actually save taxpayers money. Charter schools can be a cost-effective solution to the problem of the increasing costs of public education. These schools operate more efficiently with less money per student than traditional public schools, since they are not bound by costly, bureaucratic state and local mandates. Successful charter public schools serve as models of efficiency that traditional public schools can emulate, thus resulting in additional savings to taxpayers.
Students are eligible to attend a charter public school at no charge to their families.
The students of the school district that grants the charter receive first preference. The school district in which a student resides is responsible for charter public school funding. If there are more applicants than spaces available, students shall be selected by lottery. Additionally, a charter public school may be a regional school, approved by more than one school district, allowing the approving districts' students equal access to the charter school's lottery. Charter public schools may establish reasonable criteria for admission to a particular grade level or area of concentration, e.g. pre-requisites in technology, math, science or the performing arts.