Frequently Asked Questions
Charter schools are independently operated public schools that must meet the same academic requirements as traditional public schools but are free from most of the bureaucratic and regulatory constraints of their traditional counterparts. The charter establishing each such school is a performance contract with a charter authorizer detailing the school's mission, program, goals, students served, and ways to measure success. A charter school is accountable to its sponsor—usually a university, state board, or local board—to produce positive academic results and adhere to the charter contract.
How are Edison charter schools performing?
Student achievement in Edison schools has been heading steadily upward. Click here for more information about Edison school performance as reported in our Eighth Annual Report on School Performance.
How do parents, teachers and students rate Edison schools?
Satisfaction with Edison schools is quite high, as evidenced by reports from Harris Interactive, an independent company which Edison commissions to survey all parents, students, and teachers in our schools each year. Click here to read more about our satisfaction results.
How is an Edison charter school organized?
Edison charter schools are organized into small, flexible schools within a school, called Academies, which help ensure that every student is well known and closely guided. Each academy is led by a team of teachers who stay with the same group of students for the duration of their stay in the Academy, facilitating strong, supportive relationships between teachers and students. Our program features a Primary Academy for grades K-2; an Elementary Academy for grades 3-5; a Junior Academy for grades 6-8; a Senior Academy for grades 9 and 10; and a Collegiate Academy for grades 11 and 12. Click here to read more about Edison’s school organization.
How do Edison charter schools serve students with special needs?
The special educators in Edison charter schools ensure that the Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) of all special-needs children are followed. Most special-needs students attending Edison charter schools are served through a flexible model known as responsible inclusion. Under this model, special education students are full participants in regular classrooms, with additional in-class support provided by certified special education teachers and related service staff (e.g., speech/language therapist, etc.) as needed.
How do Edison charter schools address discipline problems?
Each Edison charter school develops and implements a written policy on student conduct and school discipline that promotes responsible student behavior and is consistent with the Edison school design as well as local and state laws and requirements. Day-to-day management of student behavior is guided by a written school discipline plan instituted before the opening of school each year. Click here to learn more about Edison’s Learning Environment.
Do Edison charter schools charge tuition?
No. Edison charter schools are public schools, open to all students at no cost and funded with tax dollars. We offer free/reduced lunch, transportation, and grant-funded programs (such as Reading First).
Do Edison charter schools have a uniform policy?
The company does not have an official uniform policy; however, each Edison school is free to establish a dress code or uniform policy according to the consensus of the school community.
Are teachers in Edison charter schools certified?
All Edison teachers are thoroughly screened and interviewed, and the majority of them meet or exceed the certification requirements of the state in which they are teaching.
In general, Edison Charter Schools requires all teachers in schools managed in partnership with school districts to meet the certification requirements of that state. Exceptions to those requirements are typically granted by the state as a result of intense teacher shortages. These shortages are most often felt in hard-to-staff positions such as special education, foreign languages, and secondary math and science teachers. In addition, because many charter schools are granted greater hiring freedom by the charter law under which they operate, they are able to recruit diverse and exceptional individuals for teaching positions. For example, an individual with an engineering background may be hired to teach mathematics. To find out more about teaching opportunities or to apply online, click here.
How do I enroll my child in an Edison charter school?
Contact the school in which you are interested in enrolling your child. For a list of schools and contact information, click here.
What is the process for starting an Edison charter school in my community?
To contact an Edison Charter Schools representative, click here.
How can our school become an Edison charter school?
To contact an Edison Charter Schools representative, click here.
How can I start a charter school in my community?
To contact an Edison Charter Schools representative, click here.
How does Edison choose the schools that it manages?
In the case of a charter partnership with a school district, the district selects the school or schools to be managed by Edison. In the case of an independent charter school, Edison may begin working with the local, non-profit organization that is applying for the charter during the application process itself or immediately after the charter has been granted.