Briefing Guide for Educators
Structure Description
The South Carolina Charter Schools Act defines a charter school as public, nonreligious, nonhome-based, nonprofit, and nondiscriminatory. A charter school operates within a public school district and is open to all eligible students within that district. It is accountable to the local school board, which grants its charter.
Charter schools are an avenue for parents, teachers, and community members to create new and more flexible ways of educating students within the public school system. The Act supports an atmosphere in South Carolina's public school system where research and development produce different learning opportunities, and where teachers are given the flexibility to be innovative and the responsibility to be accountable.
Charter schools are public schools of choice that are authorized to operate with freedom from many of the regulations that apply to traditional public schools.
Charter schools are often smaller than regular schools and have specific academic targets to achieve as part of their contract with the chartering entity. They typically focus on a special curriculum approach, a new school organizational approach, or some other feature that sets them apart from regular public school offerings.
Charter schools begin with planning committees that build support for the school and assemble a complete application. For greater detail about the process, please contact the charter school program within the Office of Public School Choice.
Management Issues/Challenges
The charter governing board has the following authority: to submit an application to operate as a charter school; sign a charter school contract; ensure compliance with all of the requirements for charter schools provided by law; employ and contract with teachers; contract for services, develop pay scales and performance criteria; discharge policies for its employees; and decide all matters related to the operation of the charter school including budgeting, curriculum, and operating procedures.Statewide Prevalence
There are 29 schools in 14 school districts: 2 conversion charter schools and 27 start-up charter schools with approximately 5500 students and 410 full-time teachers. Nine charter schools are scheduled to open in August 2008.Anticipated Student Costs
Based on 59-40-140- A local school board of trustees sponsor shall distribute state, county, and school district funds to a charter school as determined by the following formula: the previous year's audited total general fund revenues, divided by the previous year's weighted students, then increased by the Education Finance Act inflation factor, pursuant to Section 59-20-40, for the years following the audited expenditures, then multiplied by the weighted students enrolled in the charter school, which will be subject to adjustment for student attendance and state budget allocations based on the same criteria as the local school district. These amounts must be verified by the State Department of Education before the first disbursement of funds. All state and local funding must be distributed by the local school district to the charter school monthly beginning July first following approval of the charter school application and must continue to be disbursed to the charter school for the duration of its charter and for the duration of any subsequent renewals.
- During the year of the charter school's operation, as received, and to the extent allowed by federal law, a sponsor shall distribute to the charter school federal funds which are allocated to the school district on the basis of the number of special characteristics of the students attending the charter school. These amounts must be verified by the State Department of Education before the first disbursement of funds.
- Notwithstanding subsection -the proportionate share of state and federal resources generated by students with disabilities or staff serving them must be directed to the school district board of trustees. The proportionate share of funds generated under other federal or state categorical aid programs must be directed to the school district board of trustees serving students eligible for the aid pursuant to state and federal law.
