Louisiana Charter Schools At-a-Glance

Charter schools are independent public schools that are free to be more innovative and are held accountable for improved student achievement.


KEYS TO CHARTER SCHOOL SUCCESS

Autonomy: 

  • Charter school leaders and boards are free to make decisions about staffing, curriculum development,and other factors to meet the needs of their students.

Accountability:

  • Charter schools are held to high academic, financial, and organizational standards.
  • Charter schools are closed if performance is consistently low.

Choice:

  • Parents select the school their child attends.
  • Teachers and principals choose schools that fit them best.


TYPES OF CHARTER SCHOOLS IN LOUISIANA IN 2019-2020

Type 1:

New school • Local school board authorized • 43 schools

Type 2: 

New or conversion school • BESE authorized • 40 schools

Type 3: 

Conversion school • Local school board authorized • 15 schools

Type 3B: 

Former Type 5 charter school transferred from RSD back to local school system • 41 schools

Type 4: 

New or conversion school • Local school board & BESE authorized • 1 school

Type 5: 

Recovery School District schools • BESE-authorized • 5 schools


OVERSIGHT & GOVERNANCE OF CHARTER SCHOOLS IN LOUISIANA

Types 1 and 3

  • Local school boards are responsible for the oversight of the Type 1 and Type 3 charters they authorize.
  • Each charter school or charter management organization has a board of directors which governs school finances, operations and administration.

Types 2, 4 and 5

  • The Louisiana Department of Education is responsible for the oversight of BESE-authorized charter schools.
  • Each Type 2 and 5 charter school or charter management organization has a board of directors which governs school finances, operations and administration.
  • Type 4 schools are governed by their local school board.



For more resources, please visit our Charter Schools Library.

Ongoing Initiatives: