Charter schools in the United States are primary or secondary education institutions that are public schools which are publicly funded and operate independently, rather than being controlled by local school districts. Charter schools have a contract with local school districts or other authorizing bodies which allow them to operate. These contracts, or charters, are how charters schools bear their name. They do not charge tuition, as they are funded with public tax dollars. Charter schools are subject to fewer rules than traditional state schools in exchange for greater accountability. Proponents argue that they are meant to serve underserved communities that wish to have alternatives to their neighborhood school. All charters are tuition free and open to all students, with the vast majority being either freestanding and independent and run as a non-profit organization. However, there are some for-profit management organizations that hold charters, though these are only allowed in Arizona. Only non-profit charters can receive donations from private sources, just the same as traditional public schools. As of 2016–2017 there were an estimated 6,900 public charter schools in 42 states and the District of Columbia (2016–17) with approximately 3.1 million students, a sixfold increase in enrollment over the past 15 years. In 2015 alone, more than 400 new charter schools opened while 270 schools closed due to low enrollment, lack of finances or low performance. Waiting lists grew from an average of 233 in 2009 to 277 in 2012, with places allocated by a lottery. They educate the majority of children in New Orleans Public Schools. Some charter schools provide a specialized curriculum (for example in arts, mathematics, or vocational training). Charter schools may be founded by individuals or teacher-parent groups. Two-thirds of charter schools are freestanding and independent, though some charters are managed through a charter or educational management organization, which can be for-profit and non-profit entities that can manage one or more charter schools. The first charter school law was in Minnesota in 1991. History The charter school idea in the United States had several originating sources. In 1971, UC Berkeley professors Stephen Sugarman and Jack Coons published "Family Choice in Education" which outlined the concept of a charter school model. This idea, called "Independent Public Schools" was expanded on in their 1978 volume, "Education by Choice." The term "charter schools" was defined In 1974 by University of Massachusetts Amherst professor Ray Budde. Albert Shanker, president of the