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charter school

American  
[chahr-ter skool] / ˈtʃɑr tər ˌskul /

noun

  • charter schools
    plural
  1. 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.


Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

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.

See Examples For:

But watch to see who breathes a word about Success Academy Bronx K-12, a flagship charter school that’s intended as a model for the nation.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026

I founded an all-boys charter school in 2021, with the goal of helping black boys who basically stopped learning during Covid shutdowns.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 2, 2026

Southeast Academy in Norwalk is a public charter school offering a high school education with a military and law enforcement focus to a diverse and coeducational student body.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 22, 2026

Carvalho, business continued at LAUSD, with a charter school denial, key labor deals and a pro-immigrant resolution.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 11, 2026

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

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