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Our Philosophy of Education
“All students have the right to learn. All students have the capacity to learn. Everyone is a student.”
Our Mission
The mission of Robertson Charter School is to provide a world class education to youth, with special concern for at-risk students, in Decatur, IL, through rigorous curriculum and character development; to focus on each students’ uniqueness, interests, and potential, in order to help them succeed in life.
Our History
Robertson Charter School began as a dream. The idea was to provide an alternative educational opportunity for students and their families living in Decatur, Illinois. After nearly eighteen months of preparation, the school was opened in July, 2001 with 67 students. Initially, Robertson accommodated Kindergarten through 3rd Grade. After a difficult first few months, the school quickly began to be established as a new premier school of choice. The initial goal was to add one grade per year until 8th Grade. This goal was accomplished in the 2006/2007 school year. Robertson Charter School is a “public school of choice.” We are connected with Decatur Public School District 61.
We have smaller class sizes (typically about 25 students) which allows us to spend more time with each student. We have state-of-the-art computer technology to assist our students in mastering the fundamentals in reading and math. We have approximately 300 students and 46 staff. RCS has its own fleet of school buses. All bus drivers work exclusively for Robertson Charter School. Our fleet is maintained by our own transportation manager.
Alternative Schools have given many people the right to choose the best place for their child’s education. Robertson Charter School has become that ‘school of choice’ in Decatur. We are extremely proud of all our teachers, teaching assistants, and other staff members. We are especially proud of our administrative staff. Additionally, our Board of Directors has proven to be an irreplaceable asset. Discover the difference that being a part of Robertson Charter School can be.
President’s Message
2022-2023 is an exciting time at Robertson Charter School. We have new curriculum (2021), new technology (2022), and a renewed passion for helping our students EXCEL. We expect to make great strides in student academic achievement this year. This will happen by everyone pulling together and giving their best – students, parents, teachers, and all other staff. We will overcome the challenges of the past couple years in which we were dealing with the COVID pandemic and other socio-economic challenges. Safety is always top of mind for us. We will be working hard to sanitize, disinfect, and take every other precaution necessary to operate in the safest possible manner. Our student population is approximately 300. Our staff is around 45. At Robertson Charter School, we are absolutely committed to continuous evolution in the delivery of effective and efficient education. When you’re connected to Robertson Charter School, you’re connected to one of the premier charter schools in America, and the premier school of choice in Decatur.
Principal’s Message
Welcome Wildcats to the 2022-23 school year! This is my 7th year as principal of this amazing school. I truly am honored to be a part of this school’s administrative team. Our theme for the year is EXCEL. We will be inspiring our students to not only grow but excel in all academic areas. I believe that it is important for parents, students, teachers, and administrators to work together to create an environment where all students excel academically, socially, and emotionally. All students can be successful when given the right amount of encouragement and support. I look forward to an awesome school year.
What is a charter school?
Charter schools are considered a public school of choice. Charter schools are independently-operated public schools that have the freedom to design classrooms that meet their students’ needs.
Why choose a charter school for your child's education?
Charter schools are effective in many different ways. They are beneficial to students because they allow for more 1 on 1 help in order to ensure maximum academic success. Here, at Robertson Charter School we also focus a lot of our attention of exhibiting excellent character.
Why do charter schools succeed?
Why do charter schools succeed, even in the most underserved areas? The answer is in the way they’re structured. Charter schools are granted the flexibility to operate in exchange for accountability of students achievement. They are granted the flexibility to design and run schools for fixed periods of time. However, they must be transparent with their academic and financial performance and meet strict academic standards in order to continue to stay open. Therefore, charter schools are highly motivated to improving student performance, and that’s the accountability piece. It’s this policy framework that allows educational outcomes to improve for students. Because of the flexibility in how they’re structured, charter schools can make changes as they learn what works best. Traditional public schools don’t have the same flexibility. It is crucial to close charter schools that aren’t doing well, making way for new schools to take their place. This is one of the most important innovations to public schools in decades.
Are charter schools all the same?
No. Charter schools can vary a great deal in their design and results.
How are charter schools funded?
Charter schools are public schools. Like district public schools, they are funded according to enrollment (also called average daily attendance, or ADA), and receive funding from the district and the state according to the number of students attending.
Can charter schools deny low-performing students?
Charter schools are public schools and thus must accept any students who are eligible to attend. Just like public schools, they are not allowed to prevent students from attending their school. If the charter school is oversubscribed however, meaning more students apply for positions in the charter school than are eligible, the charter school will hold a random lottery for admittance. It may not pick and choose students who are based on arbitrary criteria like test scores, family income, or English proficiency.
