Frequently Asked Questions
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Our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) make it easy for you to find answers to your questions regarding Allegiant Prep. If you can’t find your answer here, please feel free to contact us or use our site search to find the information you need.
How does a charter public school differ from a traditional public school?
Charter schools were created to provide innovative and creative educational choices for students and their parents. As such, they are exempt from some state and school district regulations and have more autonomy than a traditional public school, in exchange for more accountability. In Indiana, an individual charter school is considered to be its own local educational agency (LEA), meaning it is treated as an autonomous entity that is independent from a school district. For some purposes, including funding and other purposes specified in law, charter schools can be treated as their own school corporations. Although public charter schools are exempt from some state and district regulations, they are held to high levels of accountability. In addition to meeting state and federal accountability requirements in Indiana (Public Law 221, Indiana’s A-F Model and No Child Left Behind), charter schools must also meet the requirements set out in their charter. An authorizer may revoke a school’s charter at any time if the school is not fulfilling the terms of its charter. In addition, a charter school is subject to a rigorous review at the end of each charter term, in order to determine whether or not the school’s charter should be renewed.
Are charter schools for-profit entities?
No, charters schools are public schools. In Indiana, a charter may only be awarded by an authorizer to a nonprofit corporation with a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt designation from the Internal Revenue Service. Like traditional public schools, public charter schools may elect to enter into contracts with for-profit education service providers and other for-profit entities to provide instructional, tutoring, professional development, financial and accounting services, etc.
Do charter schools drain resources from traditional school corporations?
Charter schools, like traditional district schools, were established by the Indiana legislature to deliver a public education to Indiana students in grades K-12. Charter schools receive basic tuition support from the state but do not have the authority to levy local taxes. In Indiana, funding follows the student. This means that, if a student chooses to enroll in a charter school, the charter school will receive state funding on a per-pupil basis in order to provide an education for that student. Similarly, if a student chooses instead to enroll in a traditional district school, the district school will receive state funding associated with that student. In this manner, the school that is providing an education to a student is the school that receives the state funding associated with that student.