What are magnet and charter schools? Is there a difference?

Answer 1

Magnet schools generally are run by the school district and attract students either through blind lottery or by testing, often the latter. They are intended as a "magnet" to prevent white flight and other "desirable" people and their families from leaving a jurisdiction. Their teachers are treated just as any other public school teachers and they do not take outside funds.

Charter schools are generally run by organizations other than the school and are given a charter for usually five years to find an innovative way to run the school. They receive funding from the district, but also seek outside funds, usually via grants from foundations. They do not have to have union faculty. In fact, they rarely do. It is also my understanding that they cannot test students for admission. Rather, they hold blind lotteries.

To summarize: magnet schools run by school district and can have selective enrollment. Charter schools run by outside groups, but are public, do not have to have union teachers, can have some teachers who do not have certification, and have a specified charter which can run out and mean the school has to close down. It's a more competitive model.

Answer 2

Magnet schools are prep for Gifted and Talented schooling programs. Charter schools focus on one particular area of study (usually foreign language or arts).

Answer 3

Charter schools are schools that are private and for profit...they have to be cleared throught the government, but they do not have to follow all the rules a public school has to.

Magnet schools are public schools drawing students from areas of higher population to lower population increasing the school's federal monies thought the area is generally small...

Answer 4

Magnet schools are part of a public system and tend to focus on one particular theme of study:
Arts, Technology etc.

Charter schools may also do so but they are run separately from the public school system from which they draw revenue to operate.