(Photo: S. Wessling)
Charter schools are public schools that are created with a special charter that defines their governance and academic focus. They are free to all students, and spaces are often filled by lottery or on a first-come, first-served basis. Charter schools are required to administer standardized tests and their 5 year charter renewal process depends on meeting testing requirements.
According to the California Charter Schools Association, "Research shows charter schools do a better job increasing student achievement than traditional public schools."
"Some of the myths that are out there are that charter schools take students from the traditional programs, along with the myth that charter schools aren't unionized," says Jay Dunlap, principal of SLV Charter School. He points out that "charter" just refers to how the school was created, not any specifics about how it is run or where it draws students from.
Below is a list of charter schools operating in Monterey County, San Benito County, and Santa Cruz County. To submit corrections, please e-mail s...@sukiwessling.cm. Click here to view our national database of charter schools.
Monterey County
Big Sur Charter School
none (district: http://www.monterey.k12.ca.us/)
City: Big Sur
Grades served: K-12
International School of Monterey
http://www.ismonterey.org/index3.html
City: Monterey
Grades served: K-8
King City Arts Charter
http://www.kcusd.org/~Charter/King_City_Arts_Charter/Welcome.html
City: King City
Grades served: K-5
Learning for Life Charter School
none (district: http://www.mpusd.k12.ca.us/)
City: Marina
Grades served: 7-12
Liberty Family Academy
none
City: Salinas
Grades served: K-12
Monterey Bay Charter School
http://www.mbcharterschool.org/
City: Monterey
Grades Served: K-8
Monterey County Home Charter School
http://monterey.ca.schoolwebpages.com/education/components/scrapbook/default.php?sectiondetailid=1627
City: Salinas
Grades served: K-12
Oasis Charter Public School
http://alisal.enschool.org/
City: Salinas
Grades served: K-6
San Benito County
There are no charter schools presently listed for San Benito County.
Santa Cruz County
Pajaro Valley Unified School District
Academic Vocational (AVCI)
http://avci.pvusd.net/v2/
City: Watsonville
Grades served: 10-12
Alianza Charter
http://alianza.pvusd.net/
City: Watsonville
Grades served: K-8
Ceiba College Prep Academy
http://pvusd.net/schools/charter_schools/ceiba/index.htm
City: Watsonville
Grades served: t.b.a.
Linscott Charter
http://linscottcharterschool.org/
City: Watsonville
Grades served: K-8
Related article: Linscott Charter School
Pacific Coast Charter
http://www.pccs.pvusd.net/
City: Watsonville
Grades served: K-12
Watsonville Charter School of the Arts
http://www.wcsa.santacruz.k12.ca.us/
City: Watsonville
Grades served: K-8
Cypress Charter High School
http://www.cchs.santacruz.k12.ca.us/
City: Santa Cruz (unincorporated)
Grades served: 9-12
Related article: Cypress Charter High School
Tierra Pacifica Charter School
http://www.tierrapacifica.santacruz.k12.ca.us/
City: Santa Cruz (unincorporated)
Grades served: K-8
Note: Ocean Alternative Education Center is a homeschool program but not a charter school.
Delta School
http://www.deltaschool.org/
City: Santa Cruz
Grades served: 9-12
There are no other charter schools run within this district, but the Branciforte Small Schools Campus does contain four independent programs.
San Lorenzo Valley Unified School District
SLV Charter School
http://www.slv.k12.ca.us/charter/index.htm
This charter contains eight independent programs sponsored by the district:
Boulder Creek Homeschool
Fall Creek Homeschool
SLV Charter 25
White Oak High School
Coast Redwood High School Homeschool
Nature Academy
Mountain Independent Studies
Coast Middle Homeschool
Ocean Grove Charter School
http://www.ogcs.org/
City: Santa Cruz and Santa Clara Counties
Grades served: K-12
Schools chartered through the Santa Cruz County Office of Education
Pacific Collegiate School
http://www.pacificcollegiate.com/
Grades served: 6-12
City: Santa Cruz
Comments