Charter schools refer to an educational model in which schools establish a contract – or charter – with a state or school district that enables them to deviate from the standards and methods established by the school system in which they operate. Charter schools receive government funding and thus they neither charge tuition nor do they conduct formalized admission processes. If interest in the school exceeds its capacity, students are chosen by lottery. There are few limitations on who can found a charter school, and thus they are often spearhead by parents, teachers, and community members. Some charter schools are operated as “for-profit” institutions.