Q. What is a charter school?
A. Charter schools are free public schools open to all New York students. Though public, charter schools are not run by the New York City Department of Education. The “charter” that establishes each school is a performance contract with an authorizer detailing the school’s mission, program, students served, performance goals, and methods of assessment.
Q. Are charter schools all the same?
A. No. Charter Schools differ from one another in their organization, focus and results. ROADS Charter Schools are designed to provide a rigorous academic environment for older students who may have personal challenges and challenges in completing high school.
Q. Who is ROADS’ authorizer?
A. ROADS Charter Schools 1 and 2 are authorized by the Trustees of the State University of New York.
Q. Who can start a charter school?
A. Parents, community leaders, social entrepreneurs, businesses, teachers, school districts, and municipalities can submit a charter school proposal to any of New York State’s authorizing entities.
Q. Who can attend a charter school?
A. Any student eligible for admission to a traditional public school is eligible for admission to a charter school. New York law requires charter schools to serve all students, regardless of their economic, racial, ethnic and social backgrounds, intellectual abilities, or disabilities. Charter schools may not pick and choose among the students who apply. If there are more applicants than there are available seats, a public lottery is used to select students. The school may give priority to students in certain categories, such as returning or at-risk students.