Defined as independent and autonomous public schools, the charter schools in New York State are among the finest institutes in the nation. Designed to provide exceptional educational experiences, charters schools aim to improve student learning and achievement in an individualized and specific manner. There are over 95 charter schools operating in New York State, educating more than 30,000 students. Just as public schools in New York State, charter school students are required to take state assessments, including Regents exams. Likewise, charter schools are required to report progress in English language arts, mathematics, science and social studies.

Charter schools in New York State are independent and do not answer to a local school district superintendent or board of education. They are offered the freedom to choose the length of the school day, whether to have a residential campus or not, whether to require uniforms or not and how much time to spend on specific core academic curriculum. This freedom allows them to specifically cater to each and every student in a custom tailored educational plan. To that end, 92% of authorized charter schools outperformed their local district in the state's 2007-8 standardized exam in mathematics and 76% outperformed in English language arts. These high performance levels are just a part of what places New York State charter schools a cut above. With some of the best academic, athletic and character-building programs in the nation, NYS charter schools have become a popular choice for many parents and students alike.