All concerns about charter school operations should be addressed to the charter school director and/or the charter's board of trustees.

Each charter school must make its own choices about the kind of educational program and services it will offer.  Charters are not subject to the same rules and regulations for staffing as traditional public schools.  75% of the teaching staff in a charter school must be certified by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania—25% of the staff can teach without certification.  Charters are free to hire people with skills and knowledge in specific subjects who can teach without state certification.  Beginning with schools approved to begin in 2000. each charter must have a plan to provide school health services (as required under Article XIV of the public school code).

No.  In fact, the School District will lose almost $39 million this year as a result of payments made to the 25 charter schools operating in Philadelphia.  There are three major reasons why the School District loses money on charters:

1. Charter school students transfer from classrooms in public schools throughout the city. For now, charters serve a small number of students. If few students leave one classroom, the District still has to pay a teacher for the rest of the children in that class. It still has to pay for the guidance counselor and a nurse for that school. The school has the same overhead costs for heating, maintenance, etc. There is a small savings in the cost of books and supplies, but it does not make up for the $5100 payment that the school district makes to the charter for each student who transfers.

2. The School District must pay $5100 for each student that transfers to a charter school from a private or parochial school. For example, if a student from Roman Catholic High School transfers to a charter school in 1999-2000 school year, the School District sends payment to the charter for that student. The School District receives only limited reimbursement for the costs of these students.

3. The Pennsylvania Department of Education limits the amount of money it will pay to the School District for special education students, no matter how many special education students are enrolled in traditional public schools. But the state requires the District to pay for each special education student that transfers to a charter school without any limits on the number special education students who enroll in charters.

The charter school law requires the School District of Philadelphia to provide transportation to charter school students under the same terms and conditions as it provides transportation to other public school students.  The District only provides free transportation for students in grades K-6 who live more than 1.5 miles from their neighborhood schools and for students in grades K-8 who live along a hazardous route (as defined by PennDOT).  The District provides funding to charters for each student who qualifies for transportation; each charter has the flexibility to decide how it will deliver those transportation services.

Yes. Charter schools must comply with all federal laws and regulations covering children with disabilities, including IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act).

For a student with an existing IEP (individual education plan), the charter will receive additional funds from the school district to provide services for that student.

Charter schools make their own policies about parent participation.  Some of these policies mean parents will spend more time in school and/or with their children to enhance the educational experience for charter students.  However, a charters may not impose requirements on parents that might be construed as tuition or payment for basic education services (e.g., a requirement that the parent “volunteer” a certain number of hours at the school as a condition of his/her child’s admission or continued enrollment).  If you have questions about policies of the charter school your child attends, you should address them to the charter school director and/or the charter’s board of trustees.

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Yes.  The goal of many charter schools is to bring the school closer to the parents and community it serves and to welcome community participation.  Since the charter school is a public institution that is funded by tax dollars it is subject to a law known as the Sunshine Law.  That law (which applies to all public institutions) states that all citizens have the right to be notified and to attend meetings when the board is conducting business.  The Sunshine Law also gives all citizens the right to comment at open meetings of the Board of a charter school.

You must contact the charter school directly.

A list of Charter Schools can be found in the 1999-2000 Philadelphia Charter Schools Directory .