What is a Charter School?

Charter schools are much like public schools in that they:

• are tuition-free
• are funded by tax dollars
• are subject to regulation by the Department of Education

However, there are some differences. Charter schools:

• Are run by a board of directors rather than the local school district
• Can select programming and curriculum that differs from the local public school
• Are centered around a specific type of educational pedagogy, for example, they may be STEM-focused, Classical, or student-led
• Are overseen by an authorizer that reports to the Department of Education

Our school’s board of directors is taken from the community and includes parents and teachers. The board is elected by parents and staff at the school and is responsible for ensuring the school stays true to its mission and remains financially viable. We are authorized by Novation Education Opportunities. You can learn more about NEO here. NEO is an excellent authorizer and Great Oaks is proud to be one of its schools.

for more information on charter schools, we encourage you to visit:

• Minnesota Department of Education – Charter Schools
• Minnesota Association of Charter Schools
• Minnesota Issues Resource Guides –
  Charter Schools