1 in 5 charter schools 'illegally' screens applicants, report says

California law lays out a straightforward admissions process for charter schools: charters, like all public schools, essentially must admit any student who wants to enroll so long as there’s space.

But "at least” 253 of the state’s 1,200 charter schools ask students and their families to jump through extra hoops before letting them in, according to a report the ACLU and Public Advocates released Monday.

For instance, 22 charter schools in California ask students to prove they have strong grades or test scores before letting them in. In other cases, students must prove they meet a minimum level of English proficiency or participate in entrance interviews or essays. Sometimes schools ask families to donate money or volunteer hours.

http://www.scpr.org/news/2016/08/01/63174/report-1-in-5-calif-charter-schools-illegally-rest/