Parent FAQ & tips
The public education system in New York City is enormous; there are 1.1million students to educate. For this reason, the City has several kinds of public schools for parents to choose from. Charter schools are one of these choices, along with traditional district schools. Charter schools are free and open to all New York City students. There are currently 227 charter schools in NYC, educating approximately 114,000 students in all five boroughs. Because they are independent of the NYC Department of Education, charter schools have greater flexibility in the way they operate. They can develop their own academic program, hire staff based on their own standards and set distinct educational goals. Many charter schools not only emphasize the core subjects of English and math, but they also offer arts, science and language programs. As each charter school is different, parents should learn more about what schools have to offer before applying.
New York City’s charter school students typically pass the state academic tests at rates higher than district schools serving similar students. Charter schools also demonstrate quality in other ways, including higher attendance rates, and higher ratings on parent, teacher and student satisfaction surveys.
Charter schools welcome all students, including students with special needs and English language learners. Charter schools do not select students based upon their academic background. Instead, students are admitted by random lottery after parents fill out a simple application. Charter schools serve students in elementary through high school grades and are located in every borough of New York City. Visit www.CharterNYC.org to find charter schools in your community. The Charter Center hosts a Common Online Charter School Application where families can apply to multiple schools at once. Visit www.nyccharterschools.org/ apply for details. it can vary from school to school. Remember: When there are more student applications than seats available, charter schools are required to hold lotteries to randomly select students for admission. Students whose names are not selected will be added to the school’s waiting list and may be admitted as seats become available in the future.