Charter schools in Cincinnati, OH
24 schools in Cincinnati. Public, and free to attend.
Public charter schools (tuition-free)
Cincinnati charter schools at a glance
24 public charter schools give Cincinnati as their address in the 2025-26 federal school directory. The 24 in town had about 7,362 students in 2024-25. 19 teach elementary grades and 10 teach high school. One is mostly or fully online. Every one is a public school that charges no tuition.
Charter schools in Cincinnati (24)
Largest first. Enrollment and teachers are from 2024-25; schools new in 2025-26 have no count yet.
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.
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Questions parents ask
How many charter schools are in Cincinnati?
24 public charter schools in the 2025-26 federal directory are in Cincinnati. IDEA Greater Cincinnati, Cincinnati College Preparatory Academy, Cincinnati Classical Academy, Hamilton Cnty Math & Science, Orion Academy, Mount Auburn Preparatory Academy and others.
Do charter schools in Cincinnati 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 Cincinnati 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.