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National Alliance for Public Charter Schools Archives - North Carolina Coalition for Charter Schools

Jul 22
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Numbers reflect a growing charter movement nationwide

By News

We often highlight charter school facts and figures in North Carolina, and for good reason! Our state has a thriving, growing charter sector with new and innovative schools opening every year. In fact, five new charter schools are poised to open their doors to students next month.

(You can see some of the latest data on NC K-12 enrollment in Coalition blog posts here and here.)

But, as we draw closer to the start of a new school year, how is the nation’s charter movement faring overall? According to the most recent figures, the charter sector continues to attract families in states across the nation, with over 3.7 million students enrolled in charter schools. We include data below from the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools.

Charter schools nationwide, by the numbers

  • 3.7 million: Students enrolled in charter schools
  • 8,150: Number of charter schools
  • 251,000: Number of charter school teachers
  • 45*: States serving charter school students

Recent trends also point to growing demand. Charter enrollment has increased 12% nationwide over the past five years, according to the Alliance.

Access the Alliance’s charter dashboard here.

Here’s the national map of the states that permit charter schools (green) and those that do not (gray).

*Forty-six states have passed laws permitting charter schools. North Dakota passed a charter law in 2025, but the state does not have schools in operation yet. Vermont, South Dakota, and Nebraska do not allow charter schools. Kentucky did pass a law permitting charter schools, but the state Supreme Court overturned that law in a 2026 ruling. Read more about the Kentucky court ruling in The Hill; see a statement from the Alliance.)

Map graphic courtesy of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools.

Shutterstock photo above.

May 26
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Charter school facts and basics

By News

Charter schools across North Carolina are nearing the end of another successful academic year. It’s a great time for a refresher on some charter school basics! Charter schools are public schools–and they are free and open to all students! In North Carolina, charter schools operate under a performance-based accountability system in exchange for additional flexibility and autonomy. The NC Charter Schools Review Board oversees charter schools across the state.

Key data in North Carolina:

  • 211: Number of charter schools operating statewide
  • 160,000+: Students attending charter schools
  • 64: Counties with charter schools
  • 74,000+: Students on charter school waitlists last year

View the Coalition’s Charter Schools 101 one-pager.

What about nationwide? Here are some fast facts:

  • 8,150: Number of charter schools operating across the country
  • 3.8M: Students attending charter schools
  • 47: States that have passed charter school legislation (Of these states, 45 have charter schools.)
  • 251,000: Number of charter school teachers

See the Charter 101 flyer from the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools.

Watch a charter school video explainer from the Alliance (or click on the screenshot below).

The North Carolina Coalition for Charter Schools is an advocacy organization representing over 100 charter schools statewide. We work to protect and promote public charter schools. View our member schools.

Above: Shutterstock photo.

May 18
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Round-up of coverage from National Charter Schools Week

By News

 

 

Aviation II students at Northeast Academy for Aerospace & Advanced Technologies. Courtesy of NEAAAT/EdNC.

National Charter Schools Week ended on Saturday, and we had a great time highlighting innovation at public charter schools. This year’s NCSW theme was “Building the Workforce of Tomorrow.”

Here’s an excerpt below from an EdNC perspective piece written by Coalition Exec. Director Dave Machado:

This week, communities across the country celebrate National Charter Schools Week, recognizing the nearly 4 million families nationwide that choose a public charter school education.

Here at home, our state ranks fourth in the nation for charter school enrollment growth, adding more than 31,000 additional students over the past five years. Today, more than 160,000 North Carolina children attend a public charter school, each representing parents making a deliberate choice for their child.

But enrollment numbers only tell part of the story. The greater impact comes from what’s happening inside these schools — and what it means for North Carolina’s economic future.

Our state faces a workforce challenge: The UNC System estimates North Carolina will add 260,000 new jobs over the next decade, requiring skilled workers to fill positions in manufacturing, technology, health sciences, and aerospace.

The question is whether our education system is prepared to deliver them. Across North Carolina, public charter schools are answering that question by offering innovative curricular options and technical training.

Just consider this recent Facebook post from the Northeast Academy for Aerospace and Advanced Technologies (NEAAAT), an Elizabeth City charter school that’s six miles from one of the largest Coast Guard air stations in the country: “NEAAAT, in partnership with the U.S. Coast Guard Aviation Logistics Center and Airbus Helicopters, is the recipient of the shell and engine parts of an MH-65 Dolphin. This expands aviation students from prototypes to real world application right here in Elizabeth City!”

Do you think maybe they’re doing something right?

Read the full article here.

What are some other highlights from the week?

North Carolina Rep. John Torbett (R-Gaston) also shared a legislative resolution in honor of National Charter Schools Week.

Feb 26
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Kentucky Supreme Court overturns state’s charter law

By News

The Kentucky Supreme Court last week voted to overturn state law allowing charter schools, noting that public funding for charters was unconstitutional.

This ruling is really rather remarkable in 2026, but it illustrates what we often say. Public charter schools are politically fragile, and they need a strong defender. This is precisely why the Coalition was created, and it is really what drives our advocacy work.

Amazingly, three states –Vermont, South Dakota, and Nebraska — do not even have laws allowing charter schools. Montana and North Dakota recently passed laws allowing charters. (Read more from Education Week.)

To be clear, in Kentucky the charter movement never really got off the ground. Although state law allowed charters, as noted above, the state had not launchd even one charter school. As the Center for Education Reform summed up, Kentucky’s “statute allowed only two jurisdictions to authorize charter schools and, critically, never provided meaningful funding. It was a law in name only — a framework designed to appear reform-minded without actually empowering families or enabling schools to open and thrive.”

Public funding was the sticking point. The Court affirmed in its decision that state funds “are for common schools and for nothing else,” the Associated Press noted in its coverage.

Following the Court’s decision, the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools issued a strongly-worded press release, noting:

“Today, in the most poorly reasoned legal opinion in the 35 years of the charter school movement, the Kentucky Supreme Court overturned the state’s charter school law. As a result, Kentucky students will have fewer high-quality public school options, a tragedy in a state where only one-in-three fourth grade students can read at grade level. The results are even worse for low-income students and students of color.

The sweeping Court decision not only prevents the creation of public charter schools in Kentucky, it also imperils some of the state’s highest-performing public schools and specialty schools. The Court’s reasoning for blocking charter schools calls into serious question the constitutionality of the Gatton Academy at Western Kentucky University, the Craft Academy at Morehead State University, the Model Laboratory School at Eastern Kentucky University, magnet schools serving nearly 50,000 students, the Kentucky School for the Deaf, and the Kentucky School for the Blind because of their admissions policies.

We will keep fighting for Kentucky families until every child, everywhere, can attend a great public school that meets their unique needs,” said Starlee Coleman, President & CEO, National Alliance for Public Charter Schools.

Read more from the Alliance. See articles about the Court’s decision from the Associated Press, The Hill, Forbes, or the Center for Education Reform.

Above: Shutterstock photo.

Jan 27
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National poll: What drives parent choices for a child’s school?

By News

New polling data out just in time for National School Choice Week (NSCW) 2026 affirms the growing importance of school choice to American families. The poll, from the National School Choice Awareness Foundation, queried 3,960 parents last month, highlighting their searches for a new school and the reasons driving those searches.

According to the poll, 75% of parents with school-aged children considered new schools for their children in 2025. This is a five-year high and an increase from the 60% of parents who said that the year before. Of these parent searchers, 21%, or around 13.3 million, went on to enroll their child in a new learning environment.

Here are some key findings from the poll, according to a press release from the National School Choice Awareness Foundation/ NSCW:

Most parents who enrolled their children in new schools said they were motivated by practical factors rather than dissatisfaction. Common reasons included children entering school for the first time (20%), moving between school levels (26%), or families relocating to a new community (16%). Just 32% cited dissatisfaction with their child’s previous school as the primary reason for enrolling somewhere new.

When selecting new schools, parents who enrolled their children said their top priorities were a safe, supportive school environment (61%), a positive social environment (47%), and a particular educational theme or approach–such as STEM, arts, or faith-based education (39%).

A majority of parents, 62%, said they would be “likely to consider new schools for at least one of their children in 2026,” according to the release.

Read more about the survey here. View the full report here. 

The poll also illuminated parent priorities and information gaps, reflected in survey graphics below.

Survey graphics courtesy of the National School Choice Awareness Foundation/National School Choice Week, January 2026.

Learn more about NSCW by visiting the official website or North Carolina page.

NSCW graphic courtesy of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools.

Dec 16
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New reports highlight national and state charter enrollment growth

By News

New reports reveal public charter school enrollment continues to grow in North Carolina and across the country, even as district enrollment is declining. According to a recent article in the News & Observer, enrollment at state charter schools and lab schools increased by 3% this year, representing an additional 4,654 students.

Meanwhile, 105 of 115 North Carolina school districts experienced an enrollment decline during this 2025-26 school year. In total, this was a decrease of 24,110 students, or a 1.8% drop.

State enrollment trends this year continue enrollment patterns that began a number of years ago. As the News & Observer reports:

Since 2019, enrollment has fallen by 76,175 students, or 5.4%, in traditional public schools. It’s risen by 50,614 students, or 46.6%, in charter schools and lab schools. Over that time span, 102 of the 115 school districts have seen their enrollment decrease.

The same trends have been occurring all across the country, according to the 2025 enrollment brief from the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, which was released last month. That report, which evaluated enrollment trends between 2019-20 and 2024-25, revealed increases for 39 of 43 state charter sectors in the most recent year.

North Carolina saw the fourth-largest charter student enrollment gain of any state between 2019-20 and 2024-25. Only Texas, Florida, and California saw larger increases in charter student enrollment. 

National enrollment trends mirror those in North Carolina, as the report makes clear:

Charter schools are experiencing consistent, nationwide growth, adding over half a million students over the last six years (+15%) even as the overall school-age population shrinks. According to state agency data – which is reliable, timely, and transparent – district schools lost nearly 2 million students (-4.4%) during the same time period.

Here’s a screenshot from the report, showing how North Carolina’s charter enrollment growth stacks up nationwide:

“Enrollment Brief: Charter Schools 2025,” National Alliance for Public Charter Schools.

Above: Shutterstock photo.

 

Apr 24
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National Charter Schools Week is May 11-17, 2025

By News

National Charter Schools Week 2025 is coming up soon–on May 11-17! We have some ideas and resources to help you celebrate the many contributions of NC charter schools.

Invite your lawmakers to visit your school

Whether you’re on a first-name basis with your state and local lawmakers or you’ve never met them, this is a perfect time to build and grow your relationship with elected officials. Why does this matter? North Carolina’s political climate is favorable to public charter schools right now. But, we can’t count on that always being the case. The time to build trusting relationships, and to show elected officials the amazing things happening at public charter schools, is right now.

We strongly encourage you to invite your state and local representatives to tour your school, meet your faculty, and engage with your students. View this template for a short and simple invitation letter to elected officials.

Itinerary options for a lawmaker tour include:

  • Showing off your facilities: This is a great time to explain that facility funding for public charter schools comes out of your educational allotment. So, your school is by definition doing more with less.
  • Introducing your faculty: This can be a meet-and-greet in the faculty lounge or a formal sit-down with the team. Your educators are probably constituents of the lawmakers, too.
  • Speaking in a civics class or reading to students: There are many age-appropriate options for a legislator to engage with students. This can include talking politics to high schoolers to reading from a picture book to kindergartners.

Have students write letters to lawmakers about why they love their charter school

The Coalition and the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools have brainstormed a number of creative ways to both celebrate public charter schools and engage with state lawmakers. Public charter schools are of course authorized and funded by the NC General Assembly, so showing lawmakers the amazing things happening at your school should always be a priority!

One practice that’s been successfully deployed here and elsewhere around the country is encouraging students – especially elementary schoolers – to write letters to their elected officials. The theme of the letter should be nonpolitical and positive. For example:

  • Why students love their school.
  • What subject students like most.
  • What book students enjoy the most.
  • What students are learning about this week/month/semester.

Celebrate NCSW on social media

Be sure to promote NCSW on your school’s social media platforms. Here are some ideas from the Alliance for your social media posts:

  • Happy National #CharterSchools Week! We’re proud to be one of the 8,150 charter schools bringing innovative and high-quality public education to students across the country.
  • At [SCHOOL NAME], students have the opportunity to learn in an environment that meets their unique needs. We’re proud to serve our community and grateful to our incredible educators, students, and families for being a part of this journey! #CharterSchoolsWeek
  • Don’t forget to tag your state lawmakers and members of Congress! Find out who represents you here.

Above: Shutterstock photo.

Feb 27
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Starlee Coleman: What you need to know about charters

By News

Are you looking to learn the national forecast for charter schools–and core ideas that inform the charter movement? In this blog post, we share a recent interview with Starlee Coleman, the president and CEO of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools. The interview ran on the Alliance’s “Get Schooled” podcast, hosted by Brittnee Baker.

Here’s how the Alliance describes the interview:

In this episode, Starlee shares the pivotal moments that inspired her 25-year advocacy journey and why public education is essential for a thriving democracy. Hear her personal story as a parent, her vision for educational equity, and what’s ahead for charter schools in 2025 and the opportunities under a new administration.

Nov 26
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Deep dive on the diversifying charter sector nationwide

By News

As we’ve noted earlier, the charter sector is diversifying at both the state and national levels, with more Black and Hispanic families turning to these public schools of choice. A recent blog post from Jennifer Diaz at the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools takes a deep dive on the significant uptick in charter enrollment among Hispanic students. Findings are from the Alliance’s recent enrollment report, Do You Know Where the Children Are? A Five-Year Analysis of Public School Enrollment.

We share some excerpts from Diaz’s analysis below:

Hispanic enrollment in charter schools has soared, increasing by more than 200,000 students in the past five years alone—a staggering growth rate of 18.69%. Today, one in every three charter school students in the U.S. is Hispanic, underscoring their increasing presence and influence within the charter school landscape.

… Hispanic students are now the fastest-growing demographic in U.S. public schools, reflecting broader demographic shifts. With their significant presence in charter schools, Hispanic families are signaling a preference for educational environments that offer flexibility, innovation, and responsiveness—qualities that charter schools often embody more effectively than traditional district schools.

Read Diaz’s full enrollment trend analysis here.

North Carolina trends

Recent Alliance data for North Carolina show charter enrollment increases are due primarily to an increase in Black and Hispanic students. Here, Hispanic enrollment growth is growing exponentially faster than it is nationally. Last month, the Coalition sent out a press release highlighting Alliance findings. As the release noted:

Black and Hispanic students are largely driving the enrollment gains in North Carolina charter schools.Over the past five years, Black student enrollment grew by 23.8% and Hispanic student enrollment grew by 53.5%, compared to 11.3% for White students.

Regarding those findings, Lindalyn Kakadelis, the Coalition’s executive director, noted:

“Charter schools complement district schools by offering parents a choice in their public education. For some children, the local district school is a perfect fit. For others, the innovative options and teaching styles at a public charter school make more sense. Either way, our goal is to maximize the chances for each North Carolina student to reach his or her full potential.”

Above: Shutterstock photo

Jul 31
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U.S. House Appropriators propose $20M funding boost for charter program

By Legislation, News

The federal Charter Schools Program (CSP) could see a funding increase this year. Earlier this month, the U.S. House of Representatives’ Appropriations Committee approved a $20 million funding increase for the program. This is the “largest proposed budget increase for charter schools in several years,” according to the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools. CSP is currently funded at $440 million and represents a fraction–just 1%–of federal spending on K-12 education, notes the Alliance. Yet the program provides important funding to start and expand public charter schools nationwide.

In a statement about the proposed funding increase, Eric Paisner, interim CEO at the Alliance, said:

We thank the House Appropriations Committee for recognizing the incredible value of public charter schools by proposing a total of $20 million in increased funding for the federal Charter Schools Program (CSP). Yesterday, the full House Appropriations Committee proposed a $10 million increase to the CSP appropriation. This follows an earlier proposed increase of $10 million by the Labor-HHS subcommittee last month, creating the largest proposed budget increase for charter schools in several years. This crucial funding source is the lifeline for creating high-quality, in-demand public charter schools across the nation.

Families across the country want more public education options, and CSP funding is essential to meet this growing demand. Over the past five years, charter schools have been the only public schools to experience enrollment growth, demonstrating their unique appeal and success …

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