Charter schools are FREE Public Schools overseen by the local school district or county but are free to govern themselves and create their own educational program. Charter schools are public schools operated independently of the local school board, often with a curriculum and educational philosophy different from the other schools in the system. They are tuition-free, non-religious, and are mandated to teach all. Charter schools create new professional opportunities for teachers, provide parents and pupils expanded choices in the types of educational opportunities available through the public school system, and encourage the use of different and state-of-the-art teaching methods.