In 1992, California became the second state to enact charter legislation. Recognizing that traditional public school curriculum may not meet all the needs of students, charter schools offer varying curricula that provide a unique and innovative educational experience. Charter schools are tuition-free and open to any student who wishes to attend.
A charter is usually granted by a local school district, authorizing a school to bring a different educational program than is typically found in public schools to families in the area. Sebastopol Union School District first granted a charter for the Sebastopol Independent Charter School in 1995 and has been our sponsoring district ever since.
Sebastopol Charter was the second public charter school guided by the core principles of Public Waldorf education to open in the nation, eventually inspiring scores of such schools which offer an extensive education to any child, regardless of ability to pay. The school is now widely regarded as one of the leaders in public charter education worldwide, with families and teachers moving from far and wide to become a part of the community.
A school’s charter is a formal document that dictates that the institution will carry out a certain academic program. Central to our charter is the curriculum, in which teachers use a developmental model of education and engage children in a three-fold “head, hearts, and hands” approach. This means the students develop intellectual capacities, artistic and practical abilities, as well as an appreciation and compassion for self, others, and nature. At our school you’ll find a strong adherence to the developmental model developed by Rudolf Steiner.
