Differences between Charter School and Public School

Charter school vs. public school

Charter schools and traditional public schools are both publicly funded, tuition-free options for K-12 education. The primary difference lies in their operation and governance. Traditional public schools are managed by local school districts and must follow uniform regulations set by the district and state. Charter schools operate under a performance contract, or "charter," which grants them more autonomy over curriculum, staffing, and budget in exchange for greater accountability for student achievement.

Comparison Table

Category	Charter School	Public School
Governance	Operated by an independent, often non-profit, governing board under a charter approved by an authorizer (such as a state or university).	Operated by a geographically-defined school district governed by a publicly elected school board.
Funding	Receives public funds on a per-pupil basis but may receive less overall funding than district schools and often does not receive separate funds for facilities.	Receives public funds from local, state, and federal sources, including local property taxes that support operational and facility costs.
Accountability	Held accountable by their authorizer to meet the specific performance goals in their charter. Failure to meet these goals can result in the charter not being renewed and the school being closed.	Held accountable to the local school district, state, and federal government through standardized regulations and public oversight by the school board.
Curriculum	Greater flexibility to develop a specialized curriculum or unique educational approach, such as STEM or arts-focused programs.	Must adhere to a curriculum mandated by the school district and the state to ensure consistency across all schools in the district.
Enrollment	Open to all students, but if applications exceed available seats, admission is typically determined by a random lottery.	Generally enrolls all students who live within the school's designated geographic boundaries.
Teacher Certification	Requirements vary by state; some states grant flexibility, allowing schools to hire non-certified teachers, while others require the same certification as traditional public schools.	Teachers are typically required to hold a state-issued teaching certification.

Venn diagram comparing Differences between Charter School and Public School

Governance and Accountability

Traditional public schools are governed by a local school district, which is overseen by an elected school board that is accountable to the public. This structure ensures standardized operations and public control. In contrast, charter schools are run by an independent governing board and are accountable to an authorizer, which can be a school district, university, or state agency. This authorizer is responsible for monitoring the school's performance based on the terms of its charter. This model is intended to trade direct oversight for performance-based results; a charter school that fails to meet its contractual goals can be shut down by its authorizer.

Funding Sources

Both school types are funded by taxpayers and do not charge tuition. Traditional public schools are typically funded through a combination of local property taxes, state allocations, and federal money. Charter schools also receive public funds, usually as a per-pupil allocation from the state. However, in many states, charter schools do not receive dedicated funding for facilities and may receive a lower overall per-pupil amount compared to traditional public schools, often leading them to rely on private donations and grants to supplement their budgets.

Admissions and Enrollment

Enrollment processes represent a significant difference between the two systems. Traditional public schools generally accept all students who live within a specific geographic boundary or zone. Charter schools are open to any student, regardless of their location, but they have a set capacity. If a charter school receives more applications than it has seats, it is required to hold a random lottery to determine admission. Preference in the lottery may be given to siblings of current students or children of staff.