How To Start a Charter School

Charter schools are typically started under the guidance of a particular school district. In most cases, charter schools are added to the existing roster of schools within a district and may focus on reaching children who are performing at or below state curriculum standards. The planning and implementation of a charter school can take several months, and even years, before the school is actually ready to open its doors to students.

1. Develop a Vision-In order to start a charter school, a clear vision or mission statement must be developed. While of course this vision must have the education of children at its heart, it must also give a clear view of what faculty, staff, parents and the community can expect once it begins the process of educating children. This vision should also provide a basis for decision-making within the district.
2. Charter Applicant Expertise-Because charter schools branch out from the typical school environment, high expectations of expertise must be required by all involved. Not only should these expectations be satisfied on a personal level, but they must also fulfill any and all state regulations, laws and requirements. This high level of expertise must be applied to the superintendent, school board members, administration, faculty and staff.
3. Develop a Committee-Those who carry the vision of a charter school must develop a committee that can implement and carry out those ideas and beliefs. The committee should represent a cross-section of everyone involved in the creation of a charter school, including the state department, local school district officials, administration, faculty, politicians, concerned citizens, parents and even students. The committee should understand and agree overall with the mission or vision of the charter school. This committee should be willing to meet many times over a set period as the process of the charter school continues.
4. Create Policies-Once a committee has been developed, policies should be created that will govern topics, such as building and maintenance, safety issues, hiring and maintaining staff, discipline and enrollment. Committee members should look at several other charter school policies before developing their own policies. These policies may need to be reevaluated at the end of the first year that the school is open.
5. Search for Funding-Committee members should also address ways to fund the expenses of a charter school. A subcommittee may be formed and charged to search for alternative funding outside of the local school district's budget. This committee should look for federal grant monies that may be available through their state education department or from the federal government. The committee may also need to explore low-interest loan and private corporation funding options as well. Deadlines and application instructions must be strictly adhered to by the applicants.
6. Handle Special Issues-Finally, in some cases, a charter school is actually created through the conversion of an existing school. In this instance, an administration, faculty and staff may already be in place, and careful guidance and leadership must be conducted to make the transition from a typical public school to a charter school a smooth one. The support of the faculty and staff is essential at this time as well, and communication must remain open among all parties involved.

Starting a charter school will take time and money, but if educated and concerned committees are formed and policies are developed, the school should be able to enjoy a relatively smooth start. While there may always be some changes that need to be made, organization and education are the keys to a successful charter school beginning.