Charter School FAQ
What is a charter school?
A charter school is an independently run public school granted greater flexibility in its operations, in return for greater accountability for performance. The "charter" establishing each school is a performance contract detailing the school's mission, program, students served, performance goals, and methods of assessment.
What is the difference between charter schools and other public schools?
Charter schools are public schools of choice, meaning that families choose them for their children. They operate with freedom from some of the regulations that are imposed upon district schools. Charter schools are accountable for the same academic results as traditional district schools, and for upholding the promises made in their charters. They must demonstrate performance in the areas of academic achievement, financial management, and organizational stability. If a charter school does not meet performance goals, it may be closed.
Are charter schools all the same?
No. Charter schools can vary a great deal in their design and in their results. FirstLine Schools focus on “turnaround” schools – taking an existing school that did not meet accountability standards and turning it into a highly performing school. FirstLine faculty and staff utilize methods based on the principles and practices that have proven successful in producing significant academic gains at high-performing urban charter public schools across the country.
Who authorizes charter schools?
This varies from state to state, depending on the state's charter law. In New Orleans, there are three authorizers: the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE), the Recovery School District (RSD) and the Orleans Parish School Board (OPSB). All FirstLine Schools are currently chartered via the RSD.
Who can start a charter school?
Parents, community leaders, social entrepreneurs, businesses, teachers, school districts, and municipalities can submit a charter school proposal to their state's charter authorizing entities.
Who attends charter schools? Whom do they serve?
Nationwide, students in charter schools have similar demographic characteristics to students in the local public schools. In New Orleans, the vast majority of public schools are charter schools. Most charter schools are open-enrollment, meaning they accept all of the same students as a traditional public school. All FirstLine Schools are open-enrollment schools, which means that we serve all New Orleans students.
How are charter schools funded?
As public schools, charter schools are tuition-free. They are funded according to enrollment levels and receive public funds on a per pupil basis. Charter schools are entitled to federal categorical funding for which their students are eligible, such as Title I and Special Education monies.
What is a charter management organization?
Charter management organizations (CMOs), generally speaking, are organizations that contract with an individual school or schools to deliver management services. These services typically include curriculum development, assessment design, professional development, systems implementation, back-office services, teacher recruitment, and facility services. FirstLine Schools is a nonprofit CMO that manages five charter schools, whose charters were granted by the Recovery School District. Some of our schools were ‘startup’ charters, where we brought in a new population of students, but most of our schools are ‘turnaround’ schools, where we work with the existing population of students in a school to improve their academic performance. Our schools share our FirstLine mission and vision, and all decisions are made in the context of what is best for the individual school to ensure student
Links to More Information on Charter Schools in Louisiana:
- Louisiana Association of Public Charter Schools
- Cowen Institute, K-12 Education in New Orleans
- Cowen Institute: Governance Structure of Schools in New Orleans (Pages 1-4 of this report)
Links to More Information on Charter Schools in the U.S.:
- Center for Education Reform
- Charter Friends National Network
- U.S. Charter Schools
Clark Prep Homecoming!
Clark Prep celebrated its first homecoming as a FirstLine School.
"In places like this, there's phenomenal innovation going on. It's not that all the answers are here, but a lot of answers are here."
- U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan to the Times-Picayune, March 2009.
