Charter schools are often misunderstood because of the widespread false beliefs that surround them. In addition to our Combatting Charter School Myths section, here are some of the most common myths and the facts that prove them wrong:
Myth #1: Charter schools are not public schools.
Fact: As defined in federal and state law, charter schools are public schools. They must meet the same academic standards that all public schools are required to meet. They are:
- Tuition free and open to all students
- Nonsectarian and do not discriminate on any basis
- Publicly funded by local, state, and federal tax dollars based on enrollment, like other public schools
- Held accountable for meeting state and federal academic standards
Myth #2: Charter schools are not held accountable for student performance.
Fact: Charter schools introduce an unprecedented level of accountability into public education. In order to keep receiving money, charter schools must demonstrate that they have met the academic standards outlined in their contracts.
If a public charter school is not improving student achievement as laid out in its charter agreement, it can be closed. This is not the case for district-run public schools, where failing schools often undergo school improvement and turnaround measures for years, while generations of children continue to receive a subpar education.
Myth #3: Charter schools cherry-pick the best students from district-run public schools.
Fact: Charter schools do not have admission requirements or entrance exams. If there are more interested students than available seats, charter schools are required to hold lotteries, which randomly determine which students will be enrolled.
As of 2014, Georgia law allows charters to utilize “weighted” lotteries to provide “educationally disadvantaged” students an enrollment preference. This change has enabled charter schools to serve even greater numbers of disadvantaged children.
Myth #4: Charter schools drain funding and resources away from traditional public schools.
Charter schools are public schools, and they strengthen the public-school system by offering more children an opportunity for a great public education at schools that put their needs first.
Charter schools often receive less public funding than district-run public schools, and—unlike traditional public schools—charters must allocate up to 18% of their annual operating budgets to cover facility costs.
In FY19, state charter schools in Georgia earned almost $900 less than the state funding average (per pupil), and locally-approved charter schools earned less than their districts in 13 of 15 districts operating charter schools.
Myth #5: Charter schools have lower academic standards than traditional public schools.
Students in charter schools are outperforming their district-run school peers in reading, adding an average seven days of learning per year, and performing as well as students in district-run public schools in math. That’s according to the most recent national study conducted by the Center for Research on Education Outcomes at Stanford University. In Georgia, 76% of state charter schools outperformed the districts they served, and no local or state charter schools were closed for contract violations in 2020.
On the 2022 NAEP, Georgia charter fourth-grade students outperformed their traditional school peers by 8 points in math and 14 points in reading. Georgia’s charter eighth graders received a math score that was 4 points above traditional students and a reading score that was 8 points higher. Georgia’s Black students scored higher than their traditional Black peers in fourth-grade math (22 points), fourth-grade reading (23 points), eighth-grade math (11 points) and eighth-grade reading (10 points).
Summary:
Georgia’s public charter schools are tuition-free, public and open to all students. These unique public schools agree to greater accountability in exchange for flexibility and can be closed if they do not meet the academic standards outlined in their charter contracts. Charter schools serve as good partners in their local communities and strengthen the overall public-school system by offering more children an opportunity to receive a high-quality public education. Now that you know the facts, please share them with your friends, family and those in your network. For more facts about charter schools, see our FAQ page.
