|
LAW |
|
Year Passed |
1995; last amended in 2008.
|
|
Rank |
14th strongest of the nation's 41 charter laws. |
|
Grade |
C |
|
GENERAL DATA |
|
|
• Law offers many opportunities but hostile school boards discourage applicants
• State board moratoriums over time have hindered growth
• No facilities funding makes it very difficult for charter schools to succeed |
|
INDEPENDENT OR MULTIPLE AUTHORIZERS - YES (2) |
|
Approval |
School boards or the State Department of Education. |
|
Appeal |
None. |
|
NUMBER OF SCHOOLS ALLOWED |
|
Cap |
No cap |
|
OPERATIONAL AUTONOMY |
|
State |
Yes. Blanket waiver from most rules and regulations. The department of education has the authority to create additional rules and regulations at their leisure. Virtual schools are not allowed. Management contracts with ESPs are not restricted. |
|
Local |
Limited. School district has some control over a charter's budget and funding decisions. |
|
Teacher Freedom |
Yes. Teachers are not covered by the district bargaining agreement and may negotiate as a separate unit or work independently. A charter school may choose to be covered by the state retirement system or choose another retirement system in lieu of the state system. |
|
EQUITY |
|
Student Funding |
• State monies based on unit funding formula and local funding amount based on previous year per pupil expenditure (in students' district of residence).
• Districts do not always pass full funding to the charter.
• Funds pass from state and district to school.
"Charter schools shall be eligible for public funds under procedures established by this section. Notwithstanding that this Code may establish procedures for the funding of a public school choice program and that such program may include charter schools among those schools which students may choose, funding for charter schools shall be as provided in this section." [14 Del. C. § 509.] |
|
Facilities Funding |
None. |
