Charter schools bear some similarities to district public schools in that they are open to all to wish to attend, are paid for with tax dollars, and are accountable for results to an authoritative body.
There are many ways, however, that charter schools are different from district public schools. Most charter schools are distinguished by four key features:
They can be created by ordinary citizens.
They are exempt from many state and local regulations, and are essentially autonomous in their operations.
They are attended by students whose families choose them and they are staffed by educators who choose to work in them.
They can be closed by the public authority that authorized them if they fail to produce satisfactory results.