Special Education in Charter Schools

Summary

As public schools, charter schools must have open enrollment for any student seeking to enroll in the school, and when the school has greater demand than seats must administer a non-discriminatory selection process (this is typically done through a lottery). Charter schools are encouraged to evaluate their programming for educating students with disabilities and to identify the technical assistance they may need in order to effectively implement quality programs. The best programs that are most supportive to successful enrollment and instruction for students with disabilities come from schools and authorizers that develop clear plans for how to support effective student transitions. This planning should include ensuring that the school and the authorizer have clear expectations for understanding each other's roles as they relate to IDEA compliance, liabilities and responsibilities, curricular adaptations, and instructional modifications. Charter applications and contractual negotiations should provide explicit language for identifying and serving special education students.