What is a charter school?
Charter schools are public schools -- free and open to all. They are
started by interested parents, educators, and business and community leaders.
Each school is created with its own unique curricula and is licensed by
a school district, community college or, most often, a state university.
How is it different than a traditional public school?
From http://edreform.com/school_reform_faq/charter_schools.htm
Charter schools operate from 3 basic principles:
* Accountability: Charter schools are held accountable for how well they
educate children in a safe and responsible environment, not for compliance
with district and state regulations. They are judged on how well they
meet the student achievement goals established by their charter, and
how well they manage the fiscal and operational responsibilities entrusted
to them. Charter schools must and do operate lawfully and responsibly,
with the highest regard for equity and excellence. If they fail to deliver,
they are closed.
* Choice: Parents, teachers, community groups, organizations, or individuals
interested in creating a better educational opportunity for children can
start charter schools. Local and state school boards, colleges and universities,
and other community agencies interested in fostering innovation and excellence
in schools sponsor them. Students choose to attend, and teachers choose
to teach at charter schools.
* Autonomy: Charter schools are freed from the traditional bureaucracy
and regulations that divert a school's energy and resources toward compliance
rather than excellence. Instead of jumping through procedural hoops and
over paperwork hurdles, educators can focus on
Why are charter schools poplular?
Charters provide opportunity for better child-centered education. They
provide the chance for communities to create the greatest range of educational
choices for their children. Operators have the opportunity and the incentive
to create schools that provide new and better services to students. And
charters, bound only by the high standards they have set for themselves,
inspire the rest of the system to work harder and be more responsive to
the needs of the children.
How are charter schools funded?
Charter schools are public schools. Most charters are created by groups
of educators, parents and community leaders. Some have been converted
from existing public schools. A small number of charter schools were once
private 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.
Unlike traditional district schools, most charter schools do not receive
funding to cover the cost of securing a facility. Conversion schools begin
with established capital, namely the school and its facilities. A few
states provide capital funding to start-up schools, and some start-up
schools are able to take over available unused district space, but most
must rely on other, independent means. Recent federal legislation provides
funding to help charters with start-up costs, but the task remains imposing.
Do charter schools work?
Yes. In addition to the positive pressure they put on the public
school system as a whole, charter schools satisfy and serve their
primary constituents
(teachers, parents, and students) by providing exciting and viable
new educational in an inclusive, individual manner. The Center for
Education
Reform’s 1996-1997 Charter School Survey found that 65% of the charters
surveyed had a waiting list, averaging 135 students. The Hudson Institute’s
1997 report Charter Schools in Action also found high satisfaction
levels. Among its major findings:
* Charter schools are havens for children who had bad educational
experiences elsewhere. Among students performing "poorly" in their previous
school (as judged by their parents), nearly half are now doing "excellent" or "above
average" work.
* Charter schools are very popular with students, parents, and teachers.
* Families and teachers are seeking out charter schools primarily for
educational reasons. Satisfaction levels are highest for all three groups
when it comes to educational matters (curriculum, teaching, class size,
etc.)
* Charter school teachers are diverse, but nearly all are finding personal
fulfillment and professional reward. The teachers feel empowered.(Link
to the full report: Charter Schools in Action Project Final Report, 1997)
Charter schools serve their constituents well. Academic rigor is one
of the primary reasons for the charter school movement. While it’s
too early to measure charter schools’ broad academic success,
anecdotal evidence suggests that students are learning and excelling.
For more on charter school successes, see CHARTER SCHOOLS TODAY: Changing
the Face of American Education.
For a summary of charter school research findings -- overwhelmingly supporting
the viability and success of charters -- see WHAT THE RESEARCH REVEALS
ABOUT CHARTER SCHOOLS.
