Charter Schools
Charter schools are public schools operated and governed by organizations independent from the Florida public school district in which they are located. Charter schools are public tuition-free schools open to all children without special entrance requirements. Charter schools are independent of the public school district, therefore they hire their own state-certified teachers, design their own academic program, control their own finances, and have their own board of directors who govern and make decisions for the charter school.
In Florida, charter schools are accountable to the public school district in which they are located for student academic performance and fiscal management, but they are not managed by the district. All charter schools must provide a curriculum that meets the Florida Standards, are required to participate in all state-required standardized testing, and receive a school grade in accordance with the Florida School Accountability requirements.
The following links provide detail on the variety of charter school options available to Brevard families, charter school frequently asked questions, charter tools for existing charter operators, and charter applicant information for organizations wanting to open a charter school in Brevard:
Charter Applicant Information
Nonprofit organizations interested in starting a charter school with the School District of Brevard County as its sponsor must develop a charter school application and submit it to the district for approval by the school board. Inquiries concerning this topic can be obtained by contacting:
School Choice-Curriculum and Instruction
2700 Judge Fran Jamieson Way
Viera, Florida 32940
(321) 633-1000, extension 11395
Charter Steps to Remember:
1. View Charter School Applicant Technical Assistance PowerPoint
Charter School Applicant Technical Assistance PowerPoint will be located at: Here. (click link) This training is designed to advise potential charter applicants of the application process aligned with Florida Statutes and will include tips on applying for a charter within Brevard County.
2. Letter of Intent
A Letter of Intent should be submitted to the Director of School Choice declaring the intent of the applicant to submit a charter school application. The letter should include the following information: 1) the name of the proposed charter school, 2) the mission of the proposed charter school, 3) the year the school seeks to open, 4) enrollment estimate by grade and school year, 5) the proposed general location of the school, and 6) applicant name, address, email and phone number/ contact information. Mail or submit letters to Director of School Choice, 2700 Judge Fran Jamieson Way, Viera, Florida 32940.
3. Application
Applications must be submitted as complete documents. Applicants must submit an electronic copy online via Charter-Tools, five (5) bound copies and 1 digital copy (CD, DVD, or memory stick) of the complete application and appendixes to the Director of School Choice, 2700 Judge Fran Jamieson Way, Viera, Florida 32940. Please see the Application Instructions website for additional information.
4. School Presentation
School Presentation to the School Board of Brevard County. Applicants will present an overview of their school to the School Board of Brevard County (Time TBD). The oral presentation is to be no longer than 20 minutes. This is to be an oral presentation only. Handouts, PowerPoint, etc. are not permissible. Schools will be assigned a specific time for their presentation, contingent upon the number of applications received.
Application Instructions
Click the button to find a PDF of the Charter School Application Instructions
Charter Application, Evaluation Instruments and Resources
Stakeholders interested in submitting an application to open a charter school in Brevard County will use the state's model application template and attachments as found on the FLDOE's website. Applicants are encouraged to monitor the FLDOE's website for updates.
In addition to the state required application and attachments, Brevard School District requires each applicant to include the following modifications and Addendums:
Modify Attachment W to include a Revenue Estimating Worksheet for each year of the requested charter term. (Please see BPS Guideline for Revenue Estimating Worksheet for completing the worksheet)
For Attachment X, use Brevard's 5-Year Budget Spreadsheet
Add Addendum GG, Brevard's 50%75%100% Contingency Budget Spreadsheet
Add Addendum HH, Letter - Extension of Time to Review Charter Application
Add Addendum II, Letter - Notice of Electronic Mail Correspondence
Other Forms and Documents that may assist in writing the Application: