This section of PALawHelp.org has information and resources about Charter Schools in Pennsylvania.
Charter Schools
Charter schools were created to provide opportunities for teachers, parents, students and community members to establish and maintain schools that operate independently from the existing school district structure as a method to accomplish the following:
- improve student learning;
- increase learning opportunities for all students;
- encourage the use of different and innovative teaching methods;
- create new professional opportunities for teachers;
- provide parents and students with expanded choices in the types of educational opportunities that are available within the public school system; and
- be accountable for meeting measurable academic standards.
Charter schools are exempt from many educational mandates.
Schools that operate under a charter are divided into three general categories—charter schools, regional charter schools, and cyber charter schools. Both charter schools and regional charter schools (collectively referred to as "charter schools") are independent public schools established and operated under a charter from the local school board and in which students are enrolled or attend.
A cyber charter school is an independent public school established and operated under a charter from PDE and in which the school uses technology in order to provide a significant portion of curriculum and to deliver a significant portion of instruction to its students through the internet or other electronic means without a school-established requirement that students be present at a supervised physical facility except on a very limited basis, such as for standardized test. Continue Reading Full Resource. . .