This fall, Arizona celebrates its 25th anniversary of public charter schools and a movement built on a simple concept: Parents know best when it comes to choosing the right school for their children.
In 1994, Arizona became just the second state in the nation to enact a charter school law. The following year, in 1995, 67 public charter schools opened with a combined enrollment of fewer than 8,000 students.
A quarter-century later, more than 200,000 Arizona students return to class this fall at one of approximately 550 public charter schools across the state. The students are as unique and diverse as the schools they attend. Arizona charter schools educate a majority-minority enrollment, with 56% of charter students identifying as non-White.