Skip to content
Charter Schools Directory

Updated with 2024–25 federal data

Find a charter school near you

Compare grades, enrollment, and students per teacher for every public charter school in the United States.

or use my location to see the closest schools

Browse by level:ElementaryMiddleHighVirtual
open charter schools
8,068
students reported
3,957,681
states and territories
47
virtual schools
411

2024–25 reported data: enrollment for 8056 of 8068 schools; student–teacher ratios for 7501; format for 6935. Missing values are excluded from totals and medians. Students per teacher is not class size.Sources and limitations.

Browse public charter schools by state

Darker states have more charter schools. Pick a state to see its cities and every listed school.

AKMENHWAIDMNILWIMINYRIMAORNVWYIAINOHPANJCTCAUTCOMOWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFLVTMTNDSDNEKY
None1–4950–149150–499500+
Territories:GU4PR16

Most charter schools

  1. 1California1,276
  2. 2Texas1,056
  3. 3Florida734
  4. 4Arizona569
  5. 5Michigan368

Find charter schools in major U.S. cities

How to find a charter school near you

Start with location, compare the grades and facts that matter to your family, then confirm current programs and admissions with the school. Learn how charter schools work or compare charter and traditional public schools.

  1. 1

    Start with your area

    Search a city, ZIP code, or school name, or use your location to see the closest charter schools first.

  2. 2

    Compare the facts

    Check grades, enrollment, students per teacher, and whether a school is in person or virtual.

  3. 3

    Confirm with the school

    Admissions, lotteries, and programs change. Contact the school to confirm current details before you apply.

  • Official 2024–25 NCES data
  • All 8,068 open charter schools
  • No rankings or paid placements

Charter school search questions

How do I find charter schools near me?

Search by school name, city, or ZIP code, or browse your state and city. Each listing shows grades, enrollment, school format, location, and other available federal data so you can compare nearby options.

What are charter schools?

Charter schools are tuition-free public schools of choice that operate under a charter, or performance contract. Rules, authorizers, and enrollment procedures vary by state.

Are charter schools free?

Yes. Charter schools are public schools and, when they meet the federal definition of a charter school, cannot charge tuition. Families may still have optional or school-specific costs for items such as transportation, uniforms, meals, activities, or supplies, so confirm the details with the school before enrolling.

What is the difference between charter schools and traditional public schools?

Both are public schools. Charter schools generally have more operational flexibility in exchange for accountability to an authorizer and the terms of their charter. Traditional public schools are usually governed directly by a local school district.

Can I find charter elementary, middle, and high schools near me?

Yes. Browse charter elementary, middle, and high schools by state and city from the grade-level pages, or use the grade-level filter in search to see the closest schools that serve your grade.

Are online and virtual charter schools included?

Yes, when the school is reported as an open public charter school in the federal data. Search results and location pages identify virtual schools where that format was reported.

Does this directory rank the best charter schools?

No. The directory does not publish rankings or accept paid placement. It presents factual school data and encourages families to confirm admissions, programs, and current details directly with each school.