Jacksonville's Best Charter School.

The reasons that parents choose charter schools for their children are just as unique as the students themselves. They choose charter schools because of the strong, dedicated teachers, because the school’s focus matches their child’s needs, or simply because their child was struggling in their assigned public school and needed to try something new. 
Charter schools provide families with options in public education, allowing parents to take a more active role in their child’s education.

Every parent wants the best education for their children, but where should you begin your search? For many parents, choosing between the local public school, a charter school, or a private school can become a roadblock in and of itself.
For many, personal bias plays a huge role in their choice. Some equate private school tuition with a superior education. Others are firmly committed to public schools because they provide a more diverse cultural experience.
It can be confusing because school choices are much wider than they used to be. And depending on your family, your child and your district, the best choice may not be the neighborhood school around the corner.
As of the 2010-2011 school year, our country had a total of nearly 99,000 public schools; these elementary, middle, and high schools all operate with the help of tax dollars. Most of them are traditional schools with educational standards set by each state. Best of all, the education is free.
Because public schools are reliant on federal, state, and local tax dollars, funding can be cut. Also, public schools have to follow state guidelines on what they can teach and how children are evaluated.
Charter schools offer an institutional hybrid. Like traditional public schools, charter schools like Seacoast Charter Academy in Jacksonville are free, and they can’t discriminate against students because of their race, gender, or disability. However, parents must usually submit a separate application to enroll a child in a charter school, and like private schools, spaces are often limited. Charter schools are independently run, and some are operated by for-profit private companies.
However, charter schools are still funded by government coffers and accountable to the government body — be it state, county, or district — that provides the charter. (Many successful charters do substantial additional fundraising as well.) If a school is mismanaged or test scores are poor, a charter school can be shut down.
On the other hand, most private schools depend on their own funding, which may come from parents through tuition, grants, donations, and endowments. Private schools also often actively seek money from alumni, businesses, and community organizations. If the school is associated with a religious group, as is the case with Catholic parochial schools, the religious organization — like the Catholic Church — may be an important source of funding as well. Finally, in areas with a voucher system, some private schools are primarily funded by tuition paid for by a voucher from the state.
Because they’re autonomous, private schools are free to offer religious education, or curriculum not regulated by state standards. Some good schools are not accredited, although most are. Accreditation ensures that the school meets regional or national standards set by a group of peers. It also ensures that the school’s administration and academic programs undergo review by an outside group at least once every few years.
Tuition can be expensive. Some K-12 boarding schools approach the cost of some private universities. A survey of over 1,100 schools belonging to the National Association of Independent Schools found that the national average for day schools is about $19,100. Tuition tends to be lower in elementary grades and higher in high school. Boarding schools where students live and attend school charge a much higher premium, about $45,400 on average, but can range up to $60,000 or more.

Seacoast Charter Academy must admit students of all kinds. They cannot exclude students on the basis of disability, race, creed, gender, national origin, religion, ancestry, intellectual ability, measures of achievement or aptitude, or athletic ability.
Lottery and EnrollmentCharter law states that the deadline to apply for a charter school cannot be earlier than April 1. Some charters may have a later deadline.For information about a specific charter school and its enrollment deadline, contact the school directly.
If the number of students who apply to a charter school is more than the number of available seats, schools will use a random selection process, such as a lottery.
If you miss the charter school’s deadline, you can still apply, but your child will be placed at the bottom of the waitlist.
Visit the Enrollment Information page to learn more.
Enrollment PreferencesCharter schools give enrollment preferences to returning students, siblings of students already enrolled, and students living in the same community school district as the school.
Charter schools may also give preferences to the following groups (if law and the school’s authorizer allow): English language learners, students with disabilities, students who are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch. Single-sex charter schools are allowed.

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