FAQ's
What is a charter school?
A charter school is a public school that operates according to the terms of a charter, or contract, that has been approved by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE). In exchange for this flexibility, the charter school is held accountable for meeting the performance-based objectives specified in the charter.
What is the difference between a charter school and a traditional public school?
A traditional public school is organized according to federal laws, state school laws, state Board of Education rules, or local board of education policies. A charter school is organized according to federal laws, applicable state school laws and BESE rules and regulations.
What is the difference between a charter school and a private school?
A charter school is a public school that is organized and operated according to the terms of the charter, or contract. An open-enrollment public charter school cannot have admissions criteria or charge tuition. A private school typically requires both.
A private school is not subject to state school laws, local board of education policies, or State Board of Education rules. Private schools may have admissions criteria and charge tuition.
Who can attend Mays Prep? What does it mean to be open-enrollment?
Any student who resides in Orleans Parish may attend Mays Prep. Open-enrollment means that there exists no admissions criteria other than the student must be of age and (in the case of Mays Prep) the student must also live in Orleans Parish. Students are not admitted or denied entrance on the basis of test scores, disability, IQ scores, or any other performance-based evaluative criteria.