EDUCATION

Charter Schools

     Authorized through Act 22 by the Pennsylvania Legislature in 1997, charter schools are funded with public tax dollars but are run by private boards and can be established with the approval of any school district. They can be set up to meet the requirements of children with special needs or special interests and talents. When a student elects to attend a charter school, the school district in which the child resides is responsible for paying the charter school the amount it costs the district to educate its students -an amount generally much greater than the state subsidy. As of 2001, only one charter school was in operation in Lancaster County: the Lancaster Partnership Charter School, which was established in 1998 for students in grades 6-11 who are at risk of dropping out of school. The partnership consists of the following groups: Community Action Program; Crispus Attucks; Neighborhood Services; Spanish American Civic Association; and the Urban League.

     Recently, several cyber charter schools have been established in the state, allowing home schooling through the Internet. As of 2001, none has been established under the auspices of any Lancaster County school district.