Part II

Charter (Community) Schools:  What are they?

Charter schools are public schools and therefore subject to the same accountability requirements of this Act as they apply to other public schools.                                                                                                    HR 1, No Child Left Behind Act 2001 

A community school created under this chapter is a public school, independent of any school district, and is part of the state’s program of education. 

The State Auditor, in a recent report, says:

Charter schools are independent public schools, designed and operated by educators, parents, community leaders, educational entrepreneurs and others.  They are sponsored by designated local or state educational organizations who monitor their quality and integrity, but allow them to operate freed from the traditional bureaucratic and regulatory red tape that hog-ties public schools. 

Charter schools are public schools that are free from most state and federal requirements that regular schools are subject to.  The premise, behind charter schools, is that, in return for this freedom, the school is held accountable for student performance.

The “charter” represents a performance contract, which details the school’s mission, goals, program, and measurements of student performance.  If student performance does not meet the established goals by the end of the contract term, the charter can be revoked.  Through the contract, charter schools are also accountable to parents who choose them and the public that funds them.

                                                Ohio State Auditor Community Schools Report 2002
                                                            Page 1-18, Executive Summary 

What about Cyber Charter (Community) Schools?

Education of the child is conducted (either partially or completely) through use of the internet and a computer.  Can be either on-line work or class materials are obtained from websites and then downloaded where the child then completes the work. 

Nationwide there are 76 state and/or district cyber charter schools.  In addition, there are 15 cyber schools that are privately developed, but still meet the state requirements for curriculum/testing.  

In Ohio, there currently are 5: eCOT, OHDELA (Ohio Distance Education Learning Academy), Treca, OHVC (Ohio Virtual Charter School), and OHVA (Ohio Virtual Academy).  

What impact are we seeing for home schoolers in other states that are further along the process with these types of schools? 

Go on to Part III: Pitfalls for homeschoolers with Cyber Community Schools