What is a public charter school?
“Charter schools are unique public schools that are allowed the freedom to be more innovative while being held accountable for advancing student achievement.” National Alliance for Public Charter Schools
Do public charter schools select their students?
Because charters are public schools, they are open to all children and hold a lottery to enroll children if they have more applications than available seats, and do not have special entrance requirements
Do public charter schools charge tuition?
Because charters are public schools, they do not charge tuition
Do charter schools receive the same funding as traditional charter schools?
In Missouri, public charters receive approximately 75 percent of the funding received by traditional public schools, and they receive no funding to support capital needs.
How do you overcome the funding inequities?
Public charter schools like The Biome must fundraise in order to overcome funding inequities.
Many public charter schools are forced to finance facility needs, which divert funds from their academic program. The Biome school is fortunate to benefit from its affiliation with the Youth Learning Center and will operate within YLC’s state-of-the-art facility. Master planning is underway to expand the facility as the school’s population grows.
What is Youth Learning Center and what is its connection to The Biome?
Youth Learning Center (YLC) is a 501(c) (3) non-profit corporation and the parent organization of The Biome. As the founding organization, YLC supported and funded the development of The Biome school. The Biome’s concept was derived from YLC’s years of experience and STEAM after school model.
