Fallis Elementary re-use survey
Question: What is the difference between a charter school and a private school?
Private Schools rely on tuition payments and funds from non-public sources such as religious organizations, endowments, grants, and charitable donations. These schools select from among students who apply for admission. They may be coed or single sex. About 25 percent of the elementary and secondary schools in the United States are private.
Charter Schools began appearing in the early 90s. They are autonomous, "alternative" public schools started by parents, teachers, community organizations, and for-profit companies. These schools receive tax dollars but the sponsoring group must also come up with private funding. Charter schools must adhere to the basic curricular requirements of the state but are free from many of the regulations that apply to conventional schools and the day-to-day scrutiny of school boards and government authorities.
Considered cutting edge, charter schools usually challenge standard education practices and sometimes specialize in a particular area, such as technology, the arts, or a back-to-basics core-subjects approach. Some charter schools are specifically for gifted or high-risk kids. They usually offer smaller classes and more individual attention than conventional public schools.
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