Charter Schools
Charter schools are public schools operated by independent, non-profit governing bodies. In Tennessee, public charter school students are measured against the same academic standards as students in other public schools.
Local boards of education ensure that only those charter schools open and remain open that are meeting the needs of their students. Local boards do this through rigorous authorization processes, ongoing monitoring of the academic and financial performance of charter schools, and, when necessary, through the revocation or non-renewal of charters.
The Tennessee Public Charter Schools Act is contained in Tennessee Code Annotated 49-13-101 through 142, and in 8-35-242. You can access Tennessee laws here.
Tennessee State Board rules surrounding public charter schools can be accessed here.
To find charter schools in Tennessee, or in a particular school district, please visit the TDOE School Directory. You can narrow your searches by selecting “Public Charter” in the School Type field.
Learn More
- Application Materials
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Grants
- News & Publications
- Operators & Authorizers
- Special Education