Happy National Charter Schools Week! 

It’s National Charter Schools Week! Join us as we celebrate YES Prep Public Schools and all of the high-performing public charter schools serving Texas kids.  

So what exactly is a public charter school? 

Public charter schools like YES Prep are tuition-free public schools open to all students.

As a charter school, YES Prep has the freedom and flexibility to create a classroom environment that works for each individual student. In exchange for that flexibility, the State of Texas holds charter schools to a higher academic and financial standard than traditional independent school districts (ISDs). Only high-performing, non-profit charter schools are allowed to operate in Texas.  

Who attends public charter schools? 

Public charter schools make up a small portion of Texas public school students, but charters are serving a higher percentage of high-need and traditionally underserved students.

At YES Prep, 89% of our students are impacted by poverty and over 70% can be classified as “at risk.” Still, our 4-year college acceptance rate is 98%, proving that any child can achieve if given the support and access to opportunities they deserve. 

Do public charter schools work? 

YES Prep isn’t the only public charter school achieving jaw-dropping results. Across the state, two-thirds of the top-rated school districts are public charter schools. Public charter schools send more graduates to college than traditional districts, including nearly twice as many students with disabilities (41% vs. 23%).  

And charter schools don’t just help the students they enroll. Traditional districts with public charter schools in their boundaries are more likely to improve. Over three years, 82% of ISDs with charters boosted fifth-grade reading scores—compared to 67% of ISDs without charters. 

YES Prep is proud to be a part of an amazing community of public charters.

Texas public charter schools are preparing the workforce of the future, giving families across the state access to high-quality educational opportunities, and creating lasting change for the public education system.

We love our public charter schools!