The charter school concept was first introduced in 1991 when the Minnesota Legislature passed the nation's first charter school law. As of this writing in 2009, 40 states and the District of Columbia have charter school legislation. While the specific characteristics and nuances of these laws vary from state to state, almost every state law explicitly or implicitly requires a charter school to enter into a contract with its authorizer. The contract defines and protects the charter school's autonomy over key operational decisions while specifying anticipated performance outcomes. This agreement is the linchpin of the charter school concept, as it establishes and protects the rights and responsibilities of each party. A quality contract is essential to fully realizing the potential of charter schooling. This guide discusses the following: (1) Background on Charter School Contracts; (2) Key Considerations for Policymakers on Charter School Contracts; (3) Recommendations and Best Practices for State Policy on Charter School Contracts; and (4) Resources and Further Analysis. (Contains 5 resources and 4 endnotes.)
Authors
- Authorizing Institution
- National Association of Charter School Authorizers
- Education Level
- Elementary Secondary Education
- Peer Reviewed
- F
- Publication Type
- Guides - Non-Classroom
- Published in
- United States of America
Table of Contents
- Background on Charter School Contracts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 2
- Key Considerations for Policymakers on Charter School 2
- Contracts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 2
- Recommendations and Best Practices for State Policy on 2
- Charter School Contracts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 2
- Resources and Further Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 2
- About NACSAs Policy Guide Series 2
- Background on Charter School Contracts 3
- Key Considerations for Policymakers on Charter School Contracts 3
- What is a charter school contract 3
- How long should the term of a charter school contract be 4
- Should the terms of a contract be amendable 5
- How are contracts enforced 5
- Resources and Further Analysis 7
- Acknowledgements 7
