Charter v. Traditional Schools

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Traditional Schools v. Charter Schools NYS History: The New York State Charter Schools Act (Education Law § 2850-2857) was passed in December 1998, allowing for the creation of autonomous public schools. Charter schools are public schools that operate according to a five-year performance contract or "charter." They are exempt from many public school regulations for curriculum development, staffing and budgeting; but, they are held accountable for students’ academic performance and specific goals set forth in their charter. If charter schools fail to meet any of these, they risk having their charter revoked or not renewed. Like all public schools, charter schools must meet state standards and Regents requirements, as well as state and federal laws regarding health, safety, civil rights and student assessment. Also, charter schools are open to all students and cannot discriminate in their admissions' process. Often there are more interested students than available slots, in which case charter schools must by law choose students through a random lottery. While charters are publicly funded by tax dollars, they do not receive any funding for facilities. In New York City, many of the charter schools share space with traditional public schools. Charter schools are public schools that operate independently, according to the terms of a performance contract or “charter.” Charter schools commit to meeting specific academic goals then make their own decisions about how to achieve them. If the goals are not met, the charter may be revoked and the school shut down. Charter schools are not private schools or magnet schools. They admit students by random lottery, not tests. Funding comes from tax dollars, and no religious affiliation is allowed. When it comes to health, safety, civil rights, and standardized testing, charter
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