Charter School Basics
Below are more facts about Colorado's charter schools:
- Charter schools are public schools.
- Colorado Charter Schools must be non-profit by law.
- Charter schools do not charge tuition.
- Charter schools use non-discriminatory enrollment practices.
- There are no test-in requirements to attend charter schools.
- There are more than 250 charter schools in Colorado serving over 134,000 students.
- Charter school enrollment in Colorado is 15% of total public school enrollment in the state.
- Charter school students must take state assessments.
- Charter schools are subject to the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).
- Charter schools serve a broad range of students, including: low-income students, racial and ethnic students of color, and students with disabilities or other special needs.
- Colorado charter schools are geographically dispersed across the state and serve urban, suburban and rural communities across 70 localities in the state.
- Charter school programs and academic designs are as diverse as the students they enroll. Some charters implement longer school days, while others implement curricula specifically designed for at-risk students, gifted children, pregnant/parenting teens, juvenile offenders, and more.