Any school-aged student may enroll in a public charter school, provided there is an available seat in the student's grade level.

Under the Texas Education Code, public charter schools cannot discriminate in their admission policies based on “sex, national origin, ethnicity, religion, disability, academic, artistic, or athletic ability, or the district the child would otherwise attend.”

There are limited exceptions to these enrollment requirements. Performing arts charter schools may require demonstration of artistic ability and public charter schools may evaluate a student’s documented history of criminal offenses or discipline problems before admission.

Our Find a Charter School tool will help you locate a public charter school near you.

Yes. Charter schools are free public schools that operate based on an agreement (charter) they receive from the Texas Education Agency. Under this charter, the State of Texas grants public charter schools the flexibility and freedom to meet students’ individual needs — and in exchange, holds them to higher standards of academic and financial accountability than traditional school districts. For a deeper dive into the differences between public charter schools and traditional school districts, check out this one-pager.

No. Public charter schools use a wide variety of school models in order to meet the diverse needs of students and ensure everyone has access to a great fit. These models include Montessori, college preparatory, dropout recovery, project-based learning, CTE, fine arts, special education schools, and many more.

Yes. Public charter schools provide a tuition-free education. Since public charter schools are free and open to all students, they are often called “open-enrollment” charter schools.

Any school-aged student may enroll in a public charter school, provided there is an available seat in the student's grade level.

Under the Texas Education Code, public charter schools cannot discriminate in their admission policies based on “sex, national origin, ethnicity, religion, disability, academic, artistic, or athletic ability, or the district the child would otherwise attend.”

There are limited exceptions to these enrollment requirements. Performing arts charter schools may require demonstration of artistic ability and public charter schools may evaluate a student’s documented history of criminal offenses or discipline problems before admission.

Our Find a Charter School tool will help you locate a public charter school near you.

Yes. Charter schools are free public schools that operate based on an agreement (charter) they receive from the Texas Education Agency. Under this charter, the State of Texas grants public charter schools the flexibility and freedom to meet students’ individual needs — and in exchange, holds them to higher standards of academic and financial accountability than traditional school districts. For a deeper dive into the differences between public charter schools and traditional school districts, check out this one-pager.

No. Public charter schools use a wide variety of school models in order to meet the diverse needs of students and ensure everyone has access to a great fit. These models include Montessori, college preparatory, dropout recovery, project-based learning, CTE, fine arts, special education schools, and many more.

Yes. Public charter schools provide a tuition-free education. Since public charter schools are free and open to all students, they are often called “open-enrollment” charter schools.

Any school-aged student may enroll in a public charter school, provided there is an available seat in the student's grade level.

Under the Texas Education Code, public charter schools cannot discriminate in their admission policies based on “sex, national origin, ethnicity, religion, disability, academic, artistic, or athletic ability, or the district the child would otherwise attend.”

There are limited exceptions to these enrollment requirements. Performing arts charter schools may require demonstration of artistic ability and public charter schools may evaluate a student’s documented history of criminal offenses or discipline problems before admission.

Our Find a Charter School tool will help you locate a public charter school near you.

Enrolling a child in a Texas charter school is a two-step process: 

First, a parent or guardian completes an application for admission — a brief form that asks for a student's’ basic identifying information. This form is created by the Texas Education Agency and used for all public charter schools.   

After the application deadline has passed, public charter schools must send offers of enrollment for all available seats. If a parent/guardian accepts the seat, schools may request additional information such as the student’s health records, academic records, and verification of address.

If there are more students seeking to enroll than seats available, the charter school must either fill the seats by random lottery or in the order timely applications are received. Charter schools must specify which method they use in their enrollment policy.

Parents/guardians who complete an application for admission after the admission window has closed must either be offered a seat, if seats are available, or be placed on a waiting list, if the school is oversubscribed.

No. Families pick the school, not the other way around. Public charter schools are legally prohibited from selecting students based on academic ability or other factors.

No. While Texas public charter schools serve a diverse cross-section of families, the majority of their students are low-income — a significantly larger share than traditional school districts. Public charter schools also enroll more students from the lowest-income neighborhoods of the state, where the median family income is $40,500 or less, than traditional public schools. For more on this topic, check out this page.

Yes. Public charter schools follow the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), a federal law, as well as all Texas laws protecting students with disabilities — just like traditional school districts. Public charter schools do not know (and may not ask) whether a prospective student requires special education services until after the student is offered enrollment.

Enrolling a child in a Texas charter school is a two-step process: 

First, a parent or guardian completes an application for admission — a brief form that asks for a student's’ basic identifying information. This form is created by the Texas Education Agency and used for all public charter schools.   

After the application deadline has passed, public charter schools must send offers of enrollment for all available seats. If a parent/guardian accepts the seat, schools may request additional information such as the student’s health records, academic records, and verification of address.

If there are more students seeking to enroll than seats available, the charter school must either fill the seats by random lottery or in the order timely applications are received. Charter schools must specify which method they use in their enrollment policy.

Parents/guardians who complete an application for admission after the admission window has closed must either be offered a seat, if seats are available, or be placed on a waiting list, if the school is oversubscribed.

No. Families pick the school, not the other way around. Public charter schools are legally prohibited from selecting students based on academic ability or other factors.

No. While Texas public charter schools serve a diverse cross-section of families, the majority of their students are low-income — a significantly larger share than traditional school districts. Public charter schools also enroll more students from the lowest-income neighborhoods of the state, where the median family income is $40,500 or less, than traditional public schools. For more on this topic, check out this page.

Yes. In fact, Texas public charter schools enroll higher percentages of historically underserved students than traditional school districts across all demographics — including Hispanic students and Black students. For the most recent demographics, check out this one-pager. Additionally, Texas public charter schools are helping these students achieve at a higher level. Check out this page for more on how Texas public charter schools are helping all students thrive.

Yes. Public charter schools follow the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), a federal law, as well as all Texas laws protecting students with disabilities — just like traditional school districts. Public charter schools do not know (and may not ask) whether a prospective student requires special education services until after the student is offered enrollment.

Yes, public charter schools enroll a significantly higher percentage of ELLs than traditional public schools. Public charter schools are particularly well-equipped to serve these students. Thanks to their autonomy and flexibility, public charter schools can adapt to meet the English language instruction needs of students and their families. For more information about outcomes for English learners at public charter schools, check out this page.

Enrolling a child in a Texas charter school is a two-step process: 

First, a parent or guardian completes an application for admission — a brief form that asks for a student's’ basic identifying information. This form is created by the Texas Education Agency and used for all public charter schools.   

After the application deadline has passed, public charter schools must send offers of enrollment for all available seats. If a parent/guardian accepts the seat, schools may request additional information such as the student’s health records, academic records, and verification of address.

If there are more students seeking to enroll than seats available, the charter school must either fill the seats by random lottery or in the order timely applications are received. Charter schools must specify which method they use in their enrollment policy.

Parents/guardians who complete an application for admission after the admission window has closed must either be offered a seat, if seats are available, or be placed on a waiting list, if the school is oversubscribed.

No. Families pick the school, not the other way around. Public charter schools are legally prohibited from selecting students based on academic ability or other factors.

No. While Texas public charter schools serve a diverse cross-section of families, the majority of their students are low-income — a significantly larger share than traditional school districts. Public charter schools also enroll more students from the lowest-income neighborhoods of the state, where the median family income is $40,500 or less, than traditional public schools. For more on this topic, check out this page.

Yes. In fact, Texas public charter schools enroll higher percentages of historically underserved students than traditional school districts across all demographics — including Hispanic students and Black students. For the most recent demographics, check out this one-pager. Additionally, Texas public charter schools are helping these students achieve at a higher level. Check out this page for more on how Texas public charter schools are helping all students thrive.

Yes. Public charter schools follow the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), a federal law, as well as all Texas laws protecting students with disabilities — just like traditional school districts. Public charter schools do not know (and may not ask) whether a prospective student requires special education services until after the student is offered enrollment.

Yes, public charter schools enroll a significantly higher percentage of ELLs than traditional public schools. Public charter schools are particularly well-equipped to serve these students. Thanks to their autonomy and flexibility, public charter schools can adapt to meet the English language instruction needs of students and their families. For more information about outcomes for English learners at public charter schools, check out this page.

The process of opening a public charter school is rigorous. It’s designed to ensure that new schools are ready to meet high standards for performance. 

Educators must first complete a lengthy application, spanning hundreds of pages, that details their proposed school design. They must also obtain community input. 

Both the Texas Education Agency and outside, independent experts evaluate prospective charter schools as part of a multi-stage approval process. The last step in the process is a review by the State Board of Education, which can vote to block any school from opening. Once approved, applicants spend one year preparing before opening their doors to students.

Typically, the entire process — from the application to the first day of school — takes at least 24 months. For more details, check out this one-pager.

Yes. Public charter schools are governed by non-profit school boards made up of appointed members. These are experts and community leaders, including some of the brightest stars in finance, law, technology, and other fields. The state holds these governing boards to tougher standards than ISD boards with respect to who can serve, who can be removed, required training, and financial transparency.

Public charter school boards are appointed instead of elected because they do not have taxing authority. This is similar to the governing boards of other public entities, such as universities and the state Motor Vehicles Board.

For more details about public charter school boards, check out this report.

Public charter schools follow the same or stricter regulations than traditional school districts — including open meetings and open records laws; the same curriculum standards and standardized exams; required training for school board members; prohibitions on nepotism; and state review of management service and related-party contracts.  In fact, public charter schools in Texas are subject to some of the highest standards in the country for accountability and transparency (both academic and financial). For more on this topic, check out this one-pager.

No. By law, all Texas public charter schools are not-for-profit. While for-profit charter schools are allowed in a few states, they are prohibited in Texas.  Under Texas law, open-enrollment charter schools may only be operated by 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations, institutions of higher education, or governmental entities. The vast majority of open-enrollment public charter schools — all but about 10 statewide — are run by non-profit organizations.

The process of opening a public charter school is rigorous. It’s designed to ensure that new schools are ready to meet high standards for performance. 

Educators must first complete a lengthy application, spanning hundreds of pages, that details their proposed school design. They must also obtain community input. 

Both the Texas Education Agency and outside, independent experts evaluate prospective charter schools as part of a multi-stage approval process. The last step in the process is a review by the State Board of Education, which can vote to block any school from opening. Once approved, applicants spend one year preparing before opening their doors to students.

Typically, the entire process — from the application to the first day of school — takes at least 24 months. For more details, check out this one-pager.

Expanding an existing public charter school can take up to a year and a half. Public charter schools are only eligible to expand if they are high-performing academically and financially sound. The process includes an application to the Texas Education Agency, which conducts a rigorous 60-day review and notifies ISD school board trustees and state legislators who represent the area the charter school intends to serve. For more on this topic, check out this one-pager.

Public charter schools can have their charters (contracts with the state to operate) revoked or not renewed because of underperformance. This means public charter schools may be closed for failing grades on academic or financial accountability, or for not meeting state requirements, although such closures are rare.  In Texas, public charter schools are subject to a “three strikes” law. A public charter school is automatically closed if it receives failing grades on academic or financial accountability for three consecutive years — no appeals allowed. This is among the strictest laws in the country and a far higher standard than traditional public schools face. For more on this topic, check out this one-pager. 

Yes. Public charter schools are governed by non-profit school boards made up of appointed members. These are experts and community leaders, including some of the brightest stars in finance, law, technology, and other fields. The state holds these governing boards to tougher standards than ISD boards with respect to who can serve, who can be removed, required training, and financial transparency.

Public charter school boards are appointed instead of elected because they do not have taxing authority. This is similar to the governing boards of other public entities, such as universities and the state Motor Vehicles Board.

For more details about public charter school boards, check out this report.

Certification is required for public charter school teachers who teach special education, bilingual/ESL, or pre-K. Overall, more than half of all public charter school teachers are certified, although most aren’t required to be. 

Public charter schools in Texas have similar flexibility in their hiring decisions to Districts of Innovation. This allows public charter schools to draw from a wide candidate pool, including content-area experts who may not have a traditional teacher certification, but who do have at least a baccalaureate degree. In fact, more public charter school teachers have PhD degrees than their ISD peers.

Public charter schools, like their traditional public school counterparts, are held accountable for both academic and financial results. You can find academic ratings at TXSchools.gov and financial ratings on the Charter FIRST website.

Public charter schools follow the same or stricter regulations than traditional school districts — including open meetings and open records laws; the same curriculum standards and standardized exams; required training for school board members; prohibitions on nepotism; and state review of management service and related-party contracts.  In fact, public charter schools in Texas are subject to some of the highest standards in the country for accountability and transparency (both academic and financial). For more on this topic, check out this one-pager.

No. By law, all Texas public charter schools are not-for-profit. While for-profit charter schools are allowed in a few states, they are prohibited in Texas.  Under Texas law, open-enrollment charter schools may only be operated by 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations, institutions of higher education, or governmental entities. The vast majority of open-enrollment public charter schools — all but about 10 statewide — are run by non-profit organizations.

The process of opening a public charter school is rigorous. It’s designed to ensure that new schools are ready to meet high standards for performance. 

Educators must first complete a lengthy application, spanning hundreds of pages, that details their proposed school design. They must also obtain community input. 

Both the Texas Education Agency and outside, independent experts evaluate prospective charter schools as part of a multi-stage approval process. The last step in the process is a review by the State Board of Education, which can vote to block any school from opening. Once approved, applicants spend one year preparing before opening their doors to students.

Typically, the entire process — from the application to the first day of school — takes at least 24 months. For more details, check out this one-pager.

Expanding an existing public charter school can take up to a year and a half. Public charter schools are only eligible to expand if they are high-performing academically and financially sound. The process includes an application to the Texas Education Agency, which conducts a rigorous 60-day review and notifies ISD school board trustees and state legislators who represent the area the charter school intends to serve. For more on this topic, check out this one-pager.

Public charter schools can have their charters (contracts with the state to operate) revoked or not renewed because of underperformance. This means public charter schools may be closed for failing grades on academic or financial accountability, or for not meeting state requirements, although such closures are rare.  In Texas, public charter schools are subject to a “three strikes” law. A public charter school is automatically closed if it receives failing grades on academic or financial accountability for three consecutive years — no appeals allowed. This is among the strictest laws in the country and a far higher standard than traditional public schools face. For more on this topic, check out this one-pager. 

Yes. Public charter schools are governed by non-profit school boards made up of appointed members. These are experts and community leaders, including some of the brightest stars in finance, law, technology, and other fields. The state holds these governing boards to tougher standards than ISD boards with respect to who can serve, who can be removed, required training, and financial transparency.

Public charter school boards are appointed instead of elected because they do not have taxing authority. This is similar to the governing boards of other public entities, such as universities and the state Motor Vehicles Board.

For more details about public charter school boards, check out this report.

Certification is required for public charter school teachers who teach special education, bilingual/ESL, or pre-K. Overall, more than half of all public charter school teachers are certified, although most aren’t required to be. 

Public charter schools in Texas have similar flexibility in their hiring decisions to Districts of Innovation. This allows public charter schools to draw from a wide candidate pool, including content-area experts who may not have a traditional teacher certification, but who do have at least a baccalaureate degree. In fact, more public charter school teachers have PhD degrees than their ISD peers.

Public charter schools in Texas are held to the same transportation law as traditional school districts, which does not require providing transportation unless a student's Individualized Education Program (IEP) calls for it. However, like many traditional school districts, some public charter schools do choose to provide transportation for students.

Public charter schools, like their traditional public school counterparts, are held accountable for both academic and financial results. You can find academic ratings at TXSchools.gov and financial ratings on the Charter FIRST website.

Yes. Public charter school students are required to meet the same state curriculum standards, take the same STAAR exams, and complete the same graduation requirements as their peers in traditional public schools. For a deeper dive into the many similarities between public charter schools and traditional school districts, check out this one-pager.

Public charter schools receive funding from the state budget — but they only receive state funding. Unlike traditional school districts, public charter schools don’t receive local funding from property taxes. Public charter schools on average receive significantly less per student than traditional school districts. For a complete explanation of how public charter school funding works, check out this explainer or this infographic.

Yes, public charter schools that are rated “academically acceptable” receive facilities funding from the state. While traditional school districts can also receive facilities funding from the state, they primarily fund their facilities with local property taxes. Texas public charter schools do not and cannot levy property taxes.

All public school funding in Texas is based on student enrollment and attendance. When a student leaves or fails to attend any public school in the state, overall funding is negatively impacted for that school. That impact is the same regardless of where the student ultimately goes — whether to a different campus in the same ISD, a different Texas ISD, a private school, homeschool, out of state, or a public charter school.  Public charter schools do not have any overall negative impact on the per-student funding or academics of traditional public schools. In fact, research has shown that Texas school districts that contain public charter schools are outperforming those that don’t. Giving more families access to the public schools that best meet their needs helps ALL students succeed.

Public charter schools in Texas must outline in their charter contract with the state the process by which they will annually audit their financial operations. Just like traditional school districts, an annual financial report must be submitted to the Texas Education Agency. This information is included in the Charter FIRST Ratings that are released along with FIRST Ratings for traditional school districts. Because there are significant differences in how and at what amount traditional school districts and public charter schools are funded in Texas, the exact financial reporting requirements are naturally not identical. However, public charter schools are held even more highly accountable for financial solvency in that they must be closed after three unacceptable financial ratings on Charter FIRST, which is not a requirement for traditional school districts.

Public charter schools receive funding from the state budget — but they only receive state funding. Unlike traditional school districts, public charter schools don’t receive local funding from property taxes. Public charter schools on average receive significantly less per student than traditional school districts. For a complete explanation of how public charter school funding works, check out this explainer or this infographic.

Yes, public charter schools that are rated “academically acceptable” receive facilities funding from the state. While traditional school districts can also receive facilities funding from the state, they primarily fund their facilities with local property taxes. Texas public charter schools do not and cannot levy property taxes.

All public school funding in Texas is based on student enrollment and attendance. When a student leaves or fails to attend any public school in the state, overall funding is negatively impacted for that school. That impact is the same regardless of where the student ultimately goes — whether to a different campus in the same ISD, a different Texas ISD, a private school, homeschool, out of state, or a public charter school.  Public charter schools do not have any overall negative impact on the per-student funding or academics of traditional public schools. In fact, research has shown that Texas school districts that contain public charter schools are outperforming those that don’t. Giving more families access to the public schools that best meet their needs helps ALL students succeed.

Public charter schools in Texas must outline in their charter contract with the state the process by which they will annually audit their financial operations. Just like traditional school districts, an annual financial report must be submitted to the Texas Education Agency. This information is included in the Charter FIRST Ratings that are released along with FIRST Ratings for traditional school districts. Because there are significant differences in how and at what amount traditional school districts and public charter schools are funded in Texas, the exact financial reporting requirements are naturally not identical. However, public charter schools are held even more highly accountable for financial solvency in that they must be closed after three unacceptable financial ratings on Charter FIRST, which is not a requirement for traditional school districts.

Yes! Special education students at public charter schools are suspended about half as often as their ISD peers. They are also included in “general education” classrooms, where they learn alongside students without special needs, at higher rates. 

Additionally, students with disabilities are more likely to take advanced courses, succeed in advanced courses, and enroll in college when they attend Texas public charter schools. 

For more information about outcomes for special education students at public charter schools, check out this one-pager.

Yes!  At Texas public charter schools, graduates are more likely to meet state standards for college, career, or military readiness. Additionally, Texas public charter school students in rigorous Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate courses are twice as likely to pass the exams. This is a top predictor of college success.  These outcomes are especially notable because public charter schools enroll larger shares of low-income students, students of color, and English learners than traditional districts. For more highlights on college, career, and military readiness at public charter schools, check out this page.

Yes. Studies by Stanford University researchers show that public charter school students in Houston, San Antonio, and Austin achieved 1 to 3 months’ worth of extra reading and math progress in a single year, compared to students with similar demographics statewide.

Yes, particularly for traditionally underserved students. Low-income, Black, and Hispanic students at Texas public charter schools outperform their peers at traditional school districts on the ELA/Reading STAAR exams.  The results are even stronger for English language learners (ELLs) at public charter schools. They meet state ELA/Reading standards at a significantly higher rate than their peers. In addition, on both the 2022 and 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress, ELLs at Texas public charter schools dramatically exceeded the national ELL average in reading — and topped the statewide averages for all 50 states. For more highlights about public charter school performance, check out this one-pager.

Many public charter schools in Texas have specific resources for students wishing to pursue careers right after high school, giving students a head start on the technical training they’ll need to be successful. Public charter schools also have a proven record of sending more students to and through college, should they choose to attend.

Yes! Special education students at public charter schools are suspended about half as often as their ISD peers. They are also included in “general education” classrooms, where they learn alongside students without special needs, at higher rates. 

Additionally, students with disabilities are more likely to take advanced courses, succeed in advanced courses, and enroll in college when they attend Texas public charter schools. 

For more information about outcomes for special education students at public charter schools, check out this one-pager.

Yes!  At Texas public charter schools, graduates are more likely to meet state standards for college, career, or military readiness. Additionally, Texas public charter school students in rigorous Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate courses are twice as likely to pass the exams. This is a top predictor of college success.  These outcomes are especially notable because public charter schools enroll larger shares of low-income students, students of color, and English learners than traditional districts. For more highlights on college, career, and military readiness at public charter schools, check out this page.

Yes. Studies by Stanford University researchers show that public charter school students in Houston, San Antonio, and Austin achieved 1 to 3 months’ worth of extra reading and math progress in a single year, compared to students with similar demographics statewide.

Yes, particularly for traditionally underserved students. Low-income, Black, and Hispanic students at Texas public charter schools outperform their peers at traditional school districts on the ELA/Reading STAAR exams.  The results are even stronger for English language learners (ELLs) at public charter schools. They meet state ELA/Reading standards at a significantly higher rate than their peers. In addition, on both the 2022 and 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress, ELLs at Texas public charter schools dramatically exceeded the national ELL average in reading — and topped the statewide averages for all 50 states. For more highlights about public charter school performance, check out this one-pager.

Many public charter schools in Texas have specific resources for students wishing to pursue careers right after high school, giving students a head start on the technical training they’ll need to be successful. Public charter schools also have a proven record of sending more students to and through college, should they choose to attend.

Yes! Special education students at public charter schools are suspended about half as often as their ISD peers. They are also included in “general education” classrooms, where they learn alongside students without special needs, at higher rates. 

Additionally, students with disabilities are more likely to take advanced courses, succeed in advanced courses, and enroll in college when they attend Texas public charter schools. 

For more information about outcomes for special education students at public charter schools, check out this one-pager.