Not every student learns the same, and charter schools have more flexibility to create a culture that improves student performance and parent satisfaction. Public charter schools also have the flexibility for hiring teachers, developing personalized learning plans, and using technology in new ways to meet students where they are in their educational journey.

Charter schools add to the overall academic growth within a district. Recent studies show that students advance at a faster pace academically in charter schools than they do in traditional public schools – especially students of color and economically disadvantaged students. Data also shows that in districts with a mix of traditional and charter public schools, all schools saw improvements in achievements and graduation rates.

Public charter schools are non-profits that provide all families with additional tuition-free options for their children’s education. Traditionally, only families with high incomes have had the benefit of pursuing other options for their children.

Charter schools receive the same federal, state, and local funds as traditional public schools and have the same academic and testing standards. Charter school students in Tennessee must take the annual TCAP tests like traditional public school students.

According to a recent study from the Center for Research on Education Outcomes at Stanford University (CREDO), the typical charter school student from 2015 to 2019 had reading and math gains that outpaced their peers. In Tennessee, those academic gains are the equivalent of over a month and a half of extra learning. This study found that students at charter schools across Tennessee are 34 days ahead in reading and 39 days ahead in math.