Advocate

United Schools is changing the face of education in Central Ohio. We are dedicated educators who share one compelling mission and passion: providing each child with an excellent education that paves the way to future success.

Charter School 101

What makes United Schools different?

What is a charter school and how is it different from a traditional public school?

Charter schools are public, non-profit, tuition-free, and open to all students. They differ from traditional public schools in that they have flexibility and autonomy to design classroom instruction to best serve their community’s needs. This flexibility comes with rigorous accountability to the state, authorizer, taxpayers, and the parents and community they serve.

How are charter schools funded?

Charter schools ARE public schools, funded through state and federal formulas. Charter schools do not receive local property tax revenue; when state and local revenue are combined, charters receive approximately 20% less funding on average than traditional public schools.

The funding model can be confusing — watch this video from The Education Gadfly to learn more.

United relies on generous donations from our community to help make up the funding gap. Help contribute to the success of our students by supporting United Schools.

Who can attend a charter school?

Any student can attend a charter school. Charter schools are tuition-free public schools with open enrollment. When needed, charter schools use a lottery system, just like other public school choice programs. Like traditional public schools, charter schools are required to serve special education students. At United, nearly a quarter of our students qualify for special education services, which is greater than the percentage of students with disabilities at Columbus City Schools.

United Schools has four campuses serving students in kindergarten through 8th grade. Learn more about our schools and enroll your student.

How is charter school quality measured?

Charter schools are held accountable for performance and can be closed if they don’t meet expectations. Charter schools are approved and monitored by authorizers, which are typically public agencies, such as nonprofits, state agencies, state universities, or district sponsors.

Authorizers approve, oversee, renew, or close charter schools based on academic, financial, and operational performance.

United Schools is proudly authorized by the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation and held to State of Ohio education standards. Learn more about United Schools and view our results.