Position Statement: Charter Schools

A while back, I applied for a position to be the parent representative for the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Unfortunately, I did not get the position, but, I was really proud of myself for applying. It was a big leap for me! As part of the application process, I had to provide position statements in five different areas. I thought it would be interesting to share those here. First up, we have charter schools.

Since the first charter school opened in the United States, the movement has grown to encompass over 3,000 charter schools, operating in many states, and serving over one million students. Charter schools provided educators more flexibility and the freedom to adopt academic themes, missions, instructional methods and curriculum. Charter schools are required to follow the same state educational standards, administer the same state tests, and follow the same state laws as all public schools in the Commonwealth. In Massachusetts, schools are granted a five year charter, approved by the Board Of Education. The charter serves as a contract between the school and the state, detailing how the school will teach students and measure academic success, as well as how the school will be managed and organized. At the end of the five year term, the school must produce positive academic results or run the risk of being closed.

Charter schools have some benefits that may be appealing to those who have been disenchanted with a regular public school education. The simple freedom of choice between schools is an immeasurable benefit. If one school meets the academic goals and expectations better than another the choice to attend lies with the parents and the student. Certainly, freedom surrounding the way in which material is presented to students as well as more flexibility in developing and using curriculum are two of the key benefits. Students learn differently and have different interests. A student that learns by doing might benefit from going to a school that offers a more hands on approach than may be available at the public school alternative. A student that excels in math may find more benefit in a charter school with a more specific focus on math.

The very existence of charter schools, as well as their increasing popularity gives a clear indication that many parents and students are not happy with the education received in traditional public schools. The ability of charter schools to admit students of their own choosing also poses a potential downfall for the public schools from which the students are being removed. If the charter school picks only high performing students, those students’ achievements will not be reflected in the traditional public school’s academic records. Funding for schools is determined in part by the number of students enrolled in the school. If more and more children attend charter schools, funding for the public schools will be lost. Lower funding rates mean less access to programs and resources that might otherwise be available if the funding was there.

In conclusion, there are many things to consider when looking at the positive and negative points of charter schools. As long as there are problems in public schools, school choice and charter schools will be a popular alternative.