Pittsburgh Public School District
Charter Schools

What is a charter school?

Charter schools are free, open-enrollment public schools that are run by nonprofit organizations and governed by an independent board of trustees instead of an elected school board. Charter schools are exempt from certain mandates that govern traditional public schools so they have more freedom over their curriculum, personnel, and schedule. Despite their independence, charter schools are still held accountable by the state for student performance and charter school students must take all required state exams.

Head over to the Report to the Community school pages to learn more about how the charter schools are performing.

How do I apply?

Each charter school in Pittsburgh has its own application process, so you must visit their respective websites for information and application deadlines.

When are the application deadlines?

Each charter school has its own application deadline, so you must visit their respective websites for deadline information.

What are the requirements for admission?

Charter schools may not give preferences for admission based upon a student’s academic or behavioral record. If more students apply than there are slots available at the school, students are selected by blind lottery. However, charter schools are permitted to give preference to siblings of students who are already enrolled in the school as well as to students who are economically disadvantaged.

Special schools and centers

The Pittsburgh district serves students with special needs through supports and services within schools and at special education centers. Two charter schools within the city, Passport Academy Charter School and Provident Charter School, serve special populations of students. Visit our Special schools and centers page for contact information (2023-24) and basic demographical information (2022-23) about these schools and centers, and Pittsburgh Online Academy 4-12 (a regular education cyber school).