Charter schools are public, nonsectarian schools created through a business-like contract or "charter" between the charter governance board and an authorizer. Wisconsin established charter schools to foster innovation and parental choice. Charter schools are public entities often used as living laboratories to influence the larger public system to ensure learning for all. There are two ways that a charter school can be authorized: district and independent.
District Authorized
Charter schools authorized by a local school district. District charter schools are often designed to serve educationally disadvantaged students and offer a choice to parents and students in the areas of curriculum, methodology, schedule, and classroom structure. District authorized charter schools are often used as solutions to needs identified by the district, community, school board, and/or parents.
There are two types of District Authorized charter schools:
District Instrumentality Charter School
A charter school authorized by a school district where the authorizing school district employs all personnel for the charter school. This agreement is described in the charter contract.
District Non-Instrumentality Charter School
A charter school that is authorized by a school district, but the employees of that charter school are not employees of the authorizing school district. The personnel of the charter school are considered employees of the charter school. This agreement is described in the charter contract.
Relationships within a District Authorized Charter School
Independently Authorized
Independent charter schools are authorized by an approved public entity other than by a school district. Each of the following have the authority to authorize a charter school in Wisconsin:
College of Menominee Nation
Lac Courte Orielles Ojibwa Community College
UW-System Office of Educational Opportunity
Any UW System school
Any technical college board
City of Milwaukee
Waukesha County
The terms "2r" or "2x" refer to the section of the charter school law within s. 118.40 that grants these entities authority to authorize charter schools. All independent charter schools are considered non-instrumentality schools since since the employees of the school are not employed by any school district but are instead employed by the operating organization of the charter school.
Responsibilities within an Independently Authorized Charter School
