Charters schools are public schools. They are tuition-free and open to any scholar who wishes to attend. Charter schools allow parents, organizations, or community groups to restore, reinvent, and reenergize our public school system. Charter schools are designed, tailored, and governed by each local community, rather than by a central bureaucracy.  Desert Trails Preparatory Academy is proud to be a charter school.

Yes, charter schools are tuition-free, public schools that operate independently from the school district’s central bureaucracy. Each charter school is governed by its own local school community, rather than a district. This freedom allows teachers to be more innovative, and communities to shape their local school.

Charter schools are actually more accountable to parents and scholars than conventional schools. Local governance allows the school community freedom to innovate and make decisions based on the needs of their students. Additionally, charter schools are reviewed for renewal every three to five years by the school district or authorizer to ensure they have good academic results, and that they are operating in a fiscally and operationally responsible manner. If a charter school is unable to provide data that shows scholars are academically growing and the school is fiscally responsible, they do not get labeled “Program Improvement”, they will be closed down.

In other words; if a charter school can not prove that they are successful…they will be closed down and out of business.

Yes, charter schools are required to participate in all state and federally mandated assessments.  Therefore, scholars that attend Desert Trails Preparatory Academy in grades 3-6 take the Common Core Smarter Balance assessment and additionally, 5th graders take the Science STAR Test and Physical Fitness Test.

You may also visit the California Charter School Association website at: http://www.calcharters.org/

You may also visit the California Department of Education website at: http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/cs/