Glossary See Education Week on the Web's full glossary of education terms. The AP program provides college-level study and credit for students in high school. Achievement tests in various subjects are tied closely to a syllabus or course description that is common across schools. The program is an initiative of the New York City-based College Board. Depending upon state law, teachers, parents, or other would-be educators can apply for permission to open a school.
Some states also allow existing public or nonsectarian private schools to convert to charter status.
Charter schools have the potential to control their own budget, staffing, and curriculum, but their autonomy varies from state to state. They must attract students and achieve the results agreed to in their charters, or their contracts can be revoked. An adjustment made to teachers' salaries to reflect how much it costs to live in different regions of the country. This enables salaries to be compared more fairly across states. The tests are designed to reflect the knowledge and skills that a state or community has identified as important for an academic subject.