Most of the 1,300 public schools in Iowa are operated by one of the state’s 328 school districts. Charter schools account for two of the state’s public schools, which operate with more autonomy than district schools.  

A charter school may be established by either a district school board’s founding group (i.e., School Board-State Board Model) or an independent founding group (i.e., Founding Group-State Board Model. If a local school board creates a founding group to apply to the state board for approval to establish and operate a charter school within and as a part of the school district, the local school board must establish a new attendance center, creating a new school within an existing attendance center, or by converting an existing attendance center.  

Iowa charter schools are exempt from most state statutes and rules and any local rule, regulation, or policy, applicable to a non-charter school.