Overview of Charter Schools
Charter schools are K-12 public schools that provide choice for parents and students within the public school system. Charter schools are:
- free and open to all students,
- public schools funded on a per-pupil basis by the state of Minnesota,
- chartered, or under contract, with a sponsor,
- accountable for student results,
- independently managed by a school board elected by parents, teachers, and staff of the school,
- mission driven, or focused around a particular approach to education,
- creative schools of innovation.
Year of Charter School Law: In 1991, Minnesota was the first state to pass charter school legislation. The first charter school in the United States, City Academy, opened in St. Paul, Minnesota in 1992.
