What is a Charter School?
A quick primer for families new to charter education in North Carolina.
The short version
Charter schools in North Carolina are publicly funded but independently operated by nonprofit boards under state-approved charters. They are public schools — tuition-free and open to any North Carolina resident — but they are not part of the county public school district.
Key differences from traditional public schools
- Operated by a nonprofit board, not the county district. The board hires the school's leadership and is accountable to the state for academic and financial performance.
- Open enrollment statewide — you don't have to live in a specific district. If applications exceed seats, a lottery is held.
- More operational flexibility over staffing, curriculum approach, school calendar, and budget — with the trade-off that the school must meet state academic standards or lose its charter.
- No tuition. Charter schools are funded by state and local per-pupil dollars, like other public schools.
Who oversees charter schools in NC?
The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI), specifically its Office of Charter Schools, oversees charter schools. The Charter School Review Board (CSRB) replaced the former Charter School Advisory Board under Session Law 2023-110 (HB 618) in 2023. The CSRB makes recommendations to the State Board of Education on charter approvals, renewals, and oversight.
How are charter schools governed?
Each charter school has a board of directors — volunteers from the community — that hires the school's leadership and approves its operations. Many charter schools also work with a charter management organization (CMO), which is an outside group that handles day-to-day operations.
CCA, for example, is managed in cooperation with Central Services, the same CMO that supports Chatham Charter School. CCA's board is the body that sets the school's direction; Central Services handles operations.