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Charter schools in Lancaster, CA

5 schools in Lancaster, 4 more within 15 miles. Public, and free to attend.

Public charter schools (tuition-free)

Lancaster charter schools at a glance

5 public charter schools give Lancaster as their address in the 2025-26 federal school directory, and 4 more are within 15 miles. The 5 in town had about 5,287 students in 2024-25. 1 teach elementary grades and 4 teach high school. 2 are mostly or fully online. Every one is a public school that charges no tuition.

5,287 students, 2024-25
4 high schools
$0 tuition

Charter schools in Lancaster (5)

Largest first. Enrollment and teachers are from 2024-25; schools new in 2025-26 have no count yet.

Charter school Grades Students (2024-25) Per teacher Phone
Assurance Learning Academy 9-12 3,014 26.1 (661) 272-1225
iLEAD Lancaster Charter K-8 771 24.4 (661) 722-4287
Desert Sands Charter 8-12 727 (661) 942-3357
Mission AcademyFully online 6-12 694 20.2 (844) 788-3965
Empower GenerationsMostly online 9-12 81 36.5 (661) 429-3264

Nearby, within 15 miles (4)

Charter schools in other towns, nearest first. Online schools are left out here because their address is an office.

Charter school Grades Students (2024-25) Per teacher Town Miles Phone
Academies of the Antelope Valley 6-12 677 20.5 Quartz Hill 5 (661) 943-3031
Palmdale Aerospace Academy K-12 2,259 25.1 Palmdale 10 (661) 273-3680
Palmdale Academy Charter K-12 989 21.4 Palmdale 11 (661) 234-4800
Antelope Valley Learning Academy K-12 1,059 29.2 Palmdale 12 (661) 272-0044

Charter schools: how they work

  • Public and free. NCES describes a public charter school as a publicly funded school, usually run by a group or organization under a contract (the charter) with the state, the district or another body. The federal definition says a charter school does not charge tuition.
  • Families choose it. Under the same definition, a charter school is one parents choose to send their children to, and it admits students by lottery when more apply than it has room for.
  • Its own rules, its own accountability. The charter frees the school from some state or local rules; in return it must meet the standards written in its charter. It is nonsectarian.
  • No program badge. ChoiceFunded’s program badges and “schools that accept” lists cover private schools only. Charter schools are listed separately here, with no badge, and are never counted with private schools.

Sources: 20 U.S.C. 7221i (federal Charter Schools Program definitions); NCES, Condition of Education: Public Charter School Enrollment. Each state writes its own charter law, so ask the school how enrollment works there.

Keep looking

Questions parents ask

How many charter schools are in Lancaster?

5 public charter schools in the 2025-26 federal directory are in Lancaster, and 4 more are within 15 miles. Assurance Learning Academy, iLEAD Lancaster Charter, Desert Sands Charter, Mission Academy, Empower Generations.

Do charter schools in Lancaster charge tuition?

No. Charter schools are public schools, and the federal definition of a charter school says it does not charge tuition. Ask each school about fees for extras.

How do I enroll in a Lancaster charter school?

Apply to each school directly. Under the federal definition, a charter school admits students by lottery when more apply than it has room for, so check each school’s application dates. Each state writes its own charter law.

School facts: U.S. Department of Education, Common Core of Data (2025-26 directory, 2024-25 enrollment and staff). Where our data comes from.

See charter schools How enrollment works