Charter schools provide choice for both students and teachers. They are more acceptable to many people than the concept of vouchers, so they are sometimes a compromise when vouchers are being proposed. The federal government is making additional funds available to assist in the start-up of charter schools. The issues that most often are cited for being against charter schools are equity concerns, teacher union contract and certification terms, and unhealthy competition with existing schools. Charters are described above.
Waivers are formal requests made to the state to avoid following certain state regulations.
These requests often concern length of the school year and other time restrictions. Private schools are schools that are sponsored by a nonpublic group. They may or may not charge tuition to students, but usually they do. They may be sectarian or nonsectarian. Each state's legislation specifically defines who can apply for a charter.