Choosing a Charter · July 11, 2026
What Is a Charter School? The Plain-English Guide
Charter schools are free public schools run independently of districts. Here is how they work, who can attend, and how to tell a good one from a bad one.
8,048 charter schools. One scoreboard.
Find the right charter school, with data you can check.
Every charter school in America, searchable by state and city. Official data with its source and year shown, a published scoring methodology, and straight answers about charter funds.
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California 1,276 charters Texas 1,056 charters Florida 734 charters Arizona 569 charters Michigan 368 charters New York 350 charters Ohio 339 charters Minnesota 309 charters
All 50 states + DC Scores you can argue with
Scorecards are built from official state assessment and accountability data, with the formula published and the data year on every page. California rankings land first; more states follow. No black boxes, no pay-to-play.
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The deepest coverage of independent-study charters anywhere
In California and a handful of states, charter schools fund home-based education with real instructional budgets. We cover which charters offer funds, how much, and what you can buy, including vendors that accept charter funds.
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Choosing a Charter · July 11, 2026
The 6 Types of Charter Schools (and How to Tell Them Apart)
Classical, no-excuses, project-based, virtual, dropout-recovery, and homeschool charters: what each model actually means for your child.
Homeschool Charters · July 11, 2026
What Is a Homeschool Charter? California's Best-Kept Secret
Homeschool charters enroll your child in a public school, assign a supervising teacher, and give you instructional funds to spend on curriculum. Here is how.