Charter Schools
Charter schools are independent, nonsectarian public schools that operate with freedom from many of the regulations that apply to traditional public schools. Created, designed, and operated by a group of teachers, parents, and community leaders, charter schools are authorized by a local public school district board or county board of education. They are paid for with tax dollars and open to all who wish to attend them.
The charter establishing each school is a performance contract detailing the school’s program, goals, students served, methods of assessment, and ways to measure success. Charter schools are accountable to their sponsor to produce positive academic results and adhere to the charter contract. The length of time for which charters are granted in California is five years. At the end of the initial term, the school may obtain a five-year renewal by petitioning the school board that originally granted the charter.
Charter Schools in Sonoma County
Abraxis Charter School
Binkley School
Cali Calmécac Language Academy
California Virtual Academy
Dunham Charter School
Forestville Academy
Insight School of California, North Bay
Kid Street Charter School
Liberty School
Live Oak Charter School
Mark West Charter School
Mary Collins at Cherry Valley Charter School
Northwest Prep at Piner-Olivet
Oak Grove/Willowside School, Grades 1-5
Oak Grove/Willowside School, Grades 6-8
Orchard View School
Pathways Charter School
Piner-Olivet Charter School
Pivot Online Charter School
REACH School
Rincon Valley Charter School
River Montessori Charter School
Roseland Charter School: Roseland Accelerated Middle
Roseland Charter School: Roseland University Prep
Salmon Creek: A Charter School
Santa Rosa Accelerated Charter School
Santa Rosa Charter School
Santa Rosa Charter School for the Arts
Sebastopol Independent Charter School
Sonoma Charter School
Spring Creek Matanzas Charter School: Spring Creek Campus, Grades K-2
Spring Creek Matanzas Charter School: Matanzas Campus, Grades 3-6
SunRidge School
Twin Hills Middle School
Village Charter School
Village School
Whited (Douglas L.) School
Woodland Star Charter School
Wright Charter School
YouthBuild/John Muir Charter School
Charter School Resources
Charter School home page at the California Department of Education contains an overview of California Charter Schools including legislation, laws, and links to charter resources and other references.
Charter School Locator provides searchable directories – and an interactive map – to help the public easily locate and obtain information about charter schools in California.
California Charter Schools Association is a membership and professional organization serving the nearly 600 public charter schools in the State of California. The Association’s mission is to increase student achievement by strengthening and expanding public charter schools throughout California.
Charter Schools Development Center is an excellent user-friendly one-stop shop for resources on charter schools; charter school profiles; studies and research; publications; schedules of workshops and “boot camps” for people who are planning and starting charter schools, for operators, and granting agencies.