charter schools

A charter school is a school that receives government funding but operates independently of the established state school system in which it is located. It is independent in the sense that it operates according to the basic principle of autonomy for accountability, that it is freed from the rules but accountable for results. Public vs. private school Charter schools are publicly funded through taxation and operated by privately owned management companies. Charter schools are often established, operated, and maintained by for-profit organizations, and are not necessarily held to the same standards as traditional public schools. There is debate on whether charter schools should be described as private schools or state schools. Advocates of the charter model state that they are public schools because they are open to all students and do not charge for tuition. Critics of charter schools assert that charter schools' private operation with lack of public accountability makes them more like private institutions subsidized by the public. By country