How to Start a Charter School

So You Want to Create Your Own Charter School? 

The good news is that, as of January 2018, there are 44 states that currently have some sort of charter school law. Many other states are working on laws allowing them currently. So your chances of being able to open a charter school soon are promising! 

Why Create a Charter School? 

A charter school can be started by anyone. This includes parents, members of the community, and teachers.  Many charter schools are started by teachers that want to take their lessons and teach using their own methods instead of the state’s methods.

People decide to create a charter school for many different reasons. 

Some of the most prominent are: 

• To educate in a different way than public schools. 
• To give children a specialized education in a specific subject focus. 
• To provide a different approach to education.

Creating a Charter School 

Each state has a different charter school law. Some states have restrictions on how many charter schools can be created in that state. Make sure you are aware of what your state charter school law allows. 

Write a Charter School Petition

The first step to creating a charter school in many states is to write a charter school petition. 

This will provide your state agency with the information on who wants to create the charter school, what type of school this will be, where the school will be located, and how it will be run. 

• Do your research! 

Locate and learn your charter school law. Know what is required of you and what your options are in creating and maintaining your charter school. Locate where you need to submit your petition and what deadlines they have (if any). 

• Be thorough!

Give as much detail as possible. Provide your educational goals and as much statistical data to help support your plans. Include your method of instructions, how you plan on addressing special needs, the types of curriculum you will be focusing on, and etc. Give as many clear details as possible. 

• Include your financial plan. 

Detail your start-up costs and where the additional money (other than the funding from the state) will come from and how it will be allocated to the charter school. If possible draft a reasonable budget to include in your financial plan. 

• Ask for help! 

Reach out to those that have opened a charter school before you! These people have jumped through the hoops and met the different requirements. Don’t neglect them as a great resource. 

Creating a charter school can be daunting but doable! Follow your charter school laws and regulations and develop a well written and research petition and you will be well on your way to creating your own school! 

Do you have any questions about charter schools? Let me know in the comments below!

Tags: public school