charter school

American

[chahr-ter skool] / ˈtʃɑr tər ˌskul /

noun

an autonomous public school created by a contract between a sponsor, as a local school district or corporation, and an organizer, as a group of teachers or a community group, often with a curriculum or focus that is not traditional.

Etymology

Origin of charter school

First recorded in 1800–10; current use dates from 1985–90

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

At a public charter school in California, students create financial plans for their future selves.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 8, 2026

Palisades High is an independent charter school governed by its own board.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 27, 2026

The district has lost 15% of its students to an online charter school and homeschooling.

From Salon • Oct. 27, 2025

It was EPIC, a statewide online charter school.

From Salon • Oct. 27, 2025

It is a small charter school, public, just 140 students, but U.S.

From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023