Charter schools are tuition-free public schools, but unlike the rest of public schools, they have been formed with a Charter; that is, a philosophy, an operating agreement of sorts, that has been written by the community it will serve.
There are hundreds of Charters Schools that are approved to operate within LA County, and thousands operate within California. Some Charter schools are part of a group, with multiple locations, and others are standalone schools.
What is a Charter School?
Teachers, Parents and Community members may start a Charter school by writing up a petition and getting approval from the local district School Board, or in some cases, the County Board of Education, or the State.
The petition (or Charter) outlines a set of principles, procedures, rules for running a school, and curriculum, and each Charter School or group likely has a differentiating factor that sets it apart from the others, and from the “regular” Public schools.
This offers parents a chance to choose a school that matches their own philosophy about education, and a school that’s a good fit for their children.
You must apply for admission to a Charter School, and sometimes there is a Lottery to determine who gets in, but by law there can be no fees or tuition charged. The State of California Department of Education has an article defining Charter Schools here.
Featured Charter Schools in Los Angeles
Charter Schools in Los Angeles
Alphabetical List of all the Charter Schools in LA County
| Academia Avance Charter |
| Accelerated |
| Accelerated Charter Elementary |
| Alain Leroy Locke College Preparatory Academy |
| Alfred B. Nobel Charter Middle |
| Alliance Alice M. Baxter College-Ready High |
| Alliance Cindy and Bill Simon Technology Academy High |
| Alliance College-Ready Middle Academy 12 |
| Alliance College-Ready Middle Academy 4 |
| Alliance College-Ready Middle Academy 5 |
| Alliance College-Ready Middle Academy 8 |
| Alliance Collins Family College-Ready High |
| Alliance Dr. Olga Mohan High |
| Alliance Gertz-Ressler Richard Merkin 6-12 Complex |
| Alliance Jack H. Skirball Middle |
| Alliance Judy Ivie Burton Technology Academy |
| Alliance Kory Hunter Middle |
| Alliance Leichtman-Levine Family Foundation Environmental Science High |
| Alliance Marc & Eva Stern Math and Science |
| Alliance Margaret M. Bloomfield Technology Academy High |
| Alliance Marine – Innovation and Technology 6-12 Complex |
| Alliance Morgan McKinzie High |
| Alliance Ouchi-O’Donovan 6-12 Complex |
| Alliance Patti And Peter Neuwirth Leadership Academy |
| Alliance Piera Barbaglia Shaheen Health Services Academy |
| Alliance Renee and Meyer Luskin Academy High |
| Alliance Susan and Eric Smidt Technology High |
| Alliance Ted K. Tajima High |
| Alliance Tennenbaum Family Technology High |
| Alliance Virgil Roberts Leadership Academy |
| Alma Fuerte Public |
| Anahuacalmecac International University Preparatory of North America |
| Animo City of Champions Charter High |
| Animo College Preparatory Academy |
| Ánimo Compton Charter |
| Animo Ellen Ochoa Charter Middle |
| Animo Florence-Firestone Charter Middle |
| Animo Inglewood Charter High |
| Animo Jackie Robinson High |
| Animo James B. Taylor Charter Middle |
| Animo Jefferson Charter Middle |
| Animo Leadership High |
| Animo Mae Jemison Charter Middle |
| Animo Pat Brown |
| Animo Ralph Bunche Charter High |
| Animo South Los Angeles Charter |
| Animo Venice Charter High |
| Animo Watts College Preparatory Academy |
| Animo Western Charter Middle |
| Animo Westside Charter Middle |
| Antelope Valley Learning Academy |
| APEX Academy |
| Ararat Charter |
| Arts in Action Community Charter |
| Arts in Action Community Middle |
| Aspire Antonio Maria Lugo Academy |
| Aspire Centennial College Preparatory Academy |
| Aspire Firestone Academy Charter |
| Aspire Gateway Academy Charter |
| Aspire Inskeep Academy Charter |
| Aspire Juanita Tate Academy Charter |
| Aspire Junior Collegiate Academy |
| Aspire Ollin University Preparatory Academy |
| Aspire Pacific Academy |
| Aspire Slauson Academy Charter |
| Aspire Titan Academy |
| Assurance Learning Academy |
| Aveson Global Leadership Academy |
| Aveson School of Leaders |
| Barack Obama Charter |
| Beckford Charter for Enriched Studies |
| Bert Corona Charter |
| Bert Corona Charter High |
| Birmingham Community Charter High |
| Bright Star Secondary Charter Academy |
| Calabash Charter Academy |
| California Collegiate Charter |
| California School of the Arts – San Gabriel Valley |
| California Virtual Academy @ Los Angeles |
| Calvert Charter For Enriched Studies |
| Camino Nuevo Academy #2 |
| Camino Nuevo Charter Academy |
| Camino Nuevo Charter Academy #4 |
| Camino Nuevo Charter High |
| Camino Nuevo Elementary #3 |
| Camino Nuevo Elementary School 3 |
| Camino Nuevo High #2 |
| Canyon Charter Elementary |
| Carpenter Community Charter |
| Castlebay Lane Charter |
| CATCH Prep Charter High, Inc. |
| Center for Advanced Learning |
| Central City Value |
| Century Academy for Excellence |
| Century Community Charter |
| CHAMPS – Charter HS of Arts-Multimedia & Performing |
| Chatsworth Charter High |
| Children of Promise Preparatory Academy |
| CHIME Institute’s Schwarzenegger Community |
| Citizens of the World Charter School 5 |
| Citizens of the World Charter School Hollywood |
| Citizens of the World Charter School Mar Vista |
| Citizens of the World Charter School Silver Lake |
| City Honors International College Preparatory High |
| City Language Immersion Charter |
| Clear Passage Educational Center |
| Colfax Charter Elementary |
| Collegiate Charter High of Los Angeles |
| Community Collaborative Charter |
| Community Magnet Charter Elementary |
| Compass Charter Schools of Los Angeles |
| Crete Academy |
| Crown Preparatory Academy |
| Da Vinci Communications High |
| Da Vinci Connect |
| Da Vinci Design |
| Da Vinci Rise High |
| Da Vinci Science |
| Dearborn Elementary Charter Academy |
| Desert Sands Charter |
| Discovery Charter Preparatory School #2 |
| Dixie Canyon Community Charter |
| Downtown Value |
| Dr. Theodore T. Alexander Jr. Science Center |
| Ednovate – Brio College Prep |
| Ednovate – East College Prep |
| Ednovate – Esperanza College Prep |
| Ednovate – USC Hybrid High College Prep |
| Ednovate College Prep 7 |
| El Camino Real Charter High |
| El Oro Way Charter For Enriched Studies |
| El Rio Community School |
| Emerson Community Charter |
| Empower Generations |
| Enadia Way Technology Charter |
| Encino Charter Elementary |
| Endeavor College Preparatory Charter |
| Environmental Charter High |
| Environmental Charter Middle |
| Environmental Charter Middle – Inglewood |
| Equitas Academy #2 |
| Equitas Academy #3 Charter |
| Equitas Academy 4 |
| Equitas Academy 5 |
| Equitas Academy 6 |
| Equitas Academy Charter |
| Everest Value |
| Excelencia Charter School |
| Extera Public |
| Extera Public School No. 2 |
| Family First Charter |
| Fenton Avenue Charter |
| Fenton Charter Leadership Academy |
| Fenton Primary Center |
| Fenton STEM Academy: Elementary Center for Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics |
| Gabriella Charter |
| Gabriella Charter 2 |
| Ganas Academy |
| Gaspar De Portola Charter Middle |
| George Ellery Hale Charter Academy |
| Girls Athletic Leadership School Los Angeles |
| Global Education Academy |
| Global Education Academy 2 |
| Goethe International Charter |
| Gorman Learning Center |
| Grace Hopper STEM Academy |
| Granada Hills Charter |
| Grover Cleveland Charter High |
| Hamlin Charter Academy |
| Hawthorne Math and Science Academy |
| Haynes Charter For Enriched Studies |
| Hesby Oaks Leadership Charter |
| High Tech LA |
| High Tech LA Middle |
| ICEF Inglewood Elementary Charter Academy |
| ICEF Innovation Los Angeles Charter |
| ICEF View Park Preparatory Elementary |
| ICEF View Park Preparatory High |
| ICEF View Park Preparatory Middle |
| ICEF Vista Elementary Academy |
| ICEF Vista Middle Academy |
| iLEAD Agua Dulce |
| iLEAD Hybrid |
| iLEAD Lancaster Charter |
| iLEAD Online |
| Ingenium Charter |
| Ingenium Charter Middle |
| Ingenium Clarion Charter Middle |
| Intellectual Virtues Academy |
| Intellectual Virtues Academy of Long Beach |
| Invictus Leadership Academy |
| iQ Academy California-Los Angeles |
| ISANA Achernar Academy |
| ISANA Cardinal Academy |
| ISANA Himalia Academy |
| ISANA Nascent Academy |
| ISANA Octavia Academy |
| ISANA Palmati Academy |
| Ivy Academia |
| Ivy Bound Academy Math, Science, and Technology Charter Middle 2 |
| Ivy Bound Academy of Math, Science, and Technology Charter Middle |
| James Jordan Middle |
| Jardin de la Infancia |
| Justice Street Academy Charter |
| Kenter Canyon Elementary Charter |
| KIPP Academy of Innovation |
| KIPP Academy of Opportunity |
| KIPP Comienza Community Prep |
| KIPP Compton Community |
| KIPP Corazon Academy |
| KIPP Empower Academy |
| KIPP Ignite Academy |
| KIPP Iluminar Academy |
| KIPP Los Angeles College Preparatory |
| KIPP Philosophers Academy |
| KIPP Promesa Prep |
| KIPP Pueblo Unido |
| KIPP Raices Academy |
| KIPP Scholar Academy |
| KIPP Sol Academy |
| KIPP Vida Preparatory Academy |
| Knollwood Preparatory Academy |
| La Tijera K-8 Charter School Academy of Excellence |
| La Verne Science and Technology Charter |
| LA’s Promise Charter High #1 |
| LA’s Promise Charter Middle #1 |
| Larchmont Charter |
| Lashon Academy |
| Lashon Academy City |
| Learning by Design Charter |
| Learning Works |
| Lennox Mathematics, Science and Technology Academy |
| Libertas College Preparatory Charter |
| Life Source International Charter |
| Lifeline Education Charter |
| Lockhurst Drive Charter Elementary |
| Los Angeles Academy of Arts and Enterprise |
| Los Angeles College Prep Academy |
| Los Angeles Leadership Academy |
| Los Angeles Leadership Primary Academy |
| Los Feliz Charter Middle School for the Arts |
| Los Feliz Charter School for the Arts |
| Magnolia Science Academy |
| Magnolia Science Academy 2 |
| Magnolia Science Academy 3 |
| Magnolia Science Academy 4 |
| Magnolia Science Academy 5 |
| Magnolia Science Academy 6 |
| Magnolia Science Academy 7 |
| Magnolia Science Academy Bell |
| Marquez Charter |
| Math and Science College Preparatory |
| Matrix For Success Academy |
| Method Schools, LA |
| Mission Academy |
| Mission View Public |
| Monsenor Oscar Romero Charter Middle |
| Montague Charter Academy |
| Multicultural Learning Center |
| N.E.W. Academy Canoga Park |
| N.E.W. Academy of Science and Arts |
| Nestle Avenue Charter |
| New Designs Charter |
| New Designs Charter School-Watts |
| New Heights Charter |
| new Horizons Charter Academy |
| New Los Angeles Charter |
| New Los Angeles Charter Elementary |
| New Millennium Secondary |
| New Opportunities Charter |
| New Village Girls Academy |
| New West Charter |
| North Valley Military Institute College Preparatory Academy |
| Ocean Charter |
| OCS – South |
| Odyssey Charter |
| Open Charter Magnet |
| Opportunities for Learning – Baldwin Park |
| Opportunities for Learning – Duarte |
| Opportunities for Learning – Santa Clarita |
| Optimist Charter |
| Options for Youth – Duarte, Inc |
| Options for Youth San Gabriel |
| Options For Youth-Acton, INC. |
| Oscar De La Hoya Animo Charter High |
| Our Community Charter |
| Pacoima Charter Elementary |
| Palisades Charter Elementary |
| Palisades Charter High |
| Palmdale Aerospace Academy |
| Para Los Niños – Evelyn Thurman Gratts Primary |
| Para Los Niños Charter |
| Para Los Niños Middle |
| Pasadena Rosebud Academy |
| Pathways Academy Charter Adult Education |
| Paul Revere Charter Middle |
| Plainview Academic Charter Academy |
| Pomelo Community Charter |
| Port of Los Angeles High |
| PREPA TEC – Los Angeles |
| Prepa Tec Los Angeles High |
| Public Policy Charter |
| PUC CALS Middle School and Early College High |
| PUC Community Charter Elementary |
| PUC Community Charter Middle and PUC Community Charter Early College High |
| PUC Early College Academy for Leaders and Scholars (eCALS) |
| PUC Excel Charter Academy |
| PUC Inspire Charter Academy |
| PUC Lakeview Charter Academy |
| PUC Lakeview Charter High |
| PUC Milagro Charter |
| PUC Nueva Esperanza Charter Academy |
| PUC Triumph Charter Academy and PUC Triumph Charter High |
| Puente Charter |
| Renaissance Arts Academy |
| Reseda Charter High |
| Resolute Academy Charter |
| Rise Kohyang Elementary |
| Rise Kohyang High |
| Rise Kohyang Middle |
| Riverside Drive Charter |
| Robert A. Millikan Affiliated Charter & Performing Arts Magnet Middle |
| Sage Oak Charter School- Keppel |
| San Jose Charter Academy |
| Santa Clarita Valley International |
| Santa Monica Boulevard Community Charter |
| Scholarship Prep – Lomita-Harbor City |
| School of Arts and Enterprise |
| School of Extended Educational Options |
| Serrania Avenue Charter For Enriched Studies |
| Sherman Oaks Elementary Charter |
| SIATech Academy South |
| Soleil Academy Charter |
| Stella Elementary Charter Academy |
| Stella Middle Charter Academy |
| STEM Preparatory Elementary |
| Superior Street Elementary |
| Sylmar Charter High |
| Synergy Charter Academy |
| Synergy Kinetic Academy |
| Synergy Quantum Academy |
| Taft Charter High |
| TEACH Academy of Technologies |
| TEACH Preparatory Mildred S. Cunningham & Edith H. Morris Elementary |
| TEACH Tech Charter High |
| The City |
| Today’s Fresh Start Charter School Inglewood |
| Today’s Fresh Start-Compton |
| Topanga Elementary Charter |
| Topeka Charter School For Advanced Studies |
| University High School Charter |
| University Preparatory Value High |
| Valiente College Preparatory Charter |
| Valley Charter Elementary |
| Valley Charter Middle |
| Valley International Preparatory High |
| Valor Academy Elementary |
| Valor Academy High |
| Valor Academy Middle |
| Van Gogh Charter |
| Vaughn Next Century Learning Center |
| Village Charter Academy |
| Vista Charter Middle |
| Vista Horizon Global Academy |
| Vox Collegiate of Los Angeles |
| Wallis Annenberg High |
| Watts Learning Center |
| Watts Learning Center Charter Middle |
| We The People |
| Welby Way Charter Elementary School And Gifted-High Ability Magnet |
| Westwood Charter Elementary |
| Wilbur Charter For Enriched Academics |
| Wilder’s Preparatory Academy Charter |
| Wilder’s Preparatory Academy Charter Middle |
| WISH Academy High |
| WISH Community |
| Woodlake Elementary Community Charter |
| Woodland Hills Elementary Charter For Enriched Studies |
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