Charter schools are publicly funded and tuition free so they involve no financial barriers for students. Enrollment in charter schools is by choice, so if the overall program fits a particular student’s special needs, the student is free to enroll provided space is available and the student meets admissions criteria, if any. A large number of existing charter schools were created to serve at-risk students and do so without labeling students. Some charter schools may exclude students with disabilities if they lack the programs to serve them.
