
Today, 45 U.S. states, as well as the District of Columbia, have adopted legislation that allows charter schools to operate under state-specific guidelines. The first of such laws was passed in Minnesota in 1991. Since then, according to the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, the number of charter schools in operation has grown to 7,800 campuses, with enrollment totaling 3.7 million K-12 students. But despite long-term growth and interest, many people are still unfamiliar with what charter schools are and how they benefit families and communities. We’ll look into this topic in greater detail below, but the short answer is: more choice for students and families.
California was one of the earliest states in the country to recognize the benefit of school choice. They passed a law in 1992 allowing parents and citizens the right to initiate a charter petition that would expand educational options and opportunities for families in their communities.
According to the California Department of Education, and pursuant to California Education Code (EC) Section 47601, state law requires that “charter schools operate independently from the existing school district structure as a method to accomplish all of the following:
- Improve pupil learning.
- Increase learning opportunities for all pupils, with special emphasis on expanded learning experiences for pupils who are identified as academically low achieving.
- Encourage the use of different and innovative teaching methods.
- Create new professional opportunities for teachers, including the opportunity to be responsible for the learning program at the school site.
- Provide parents and pupils with expanded choices in the types of educational opportunities that are available within the public school system.
- Hold the schools established under this part accountable for meeting measurable pupil outcomes, and provide the schools with a method to change from rule-based to performance-based accountability systems.
- Provide vigorous competition within the public school system to stimulate continual improvements in all public schools.”
All charter schools, no matter where they are located in the country, are public and therefore non-discriminatory in their admissions. Students cannot be turned away based on the color of their skin, special needs, parent employment or income, or similar factors. When more students attempt to enroll in a charter school than space allows, a blind lottery is used to select new students to maintain fair and equal access. Public charter schools are not allowed to charge tuition and cannot be affiliated with any religious organization or doctrine. All charter schools must also participate in state-mandated standardized testing.
What Makes Charter Schools Different Than Traditional Schools?
A new charter school is typically proposed by parents, educators, a community group or organization. This means teachers, parents, and administrators are able to offer education programs and environments that align with the school’s mission and needs of its own students, rather than the needs of students across an entire school district.
A common critique of charter schools is that they are taking money from traditional schools. This argument, however, emphasizes the institution’s receipt of funds to educate students rather than students receiving funds for their education. States distribute money to schools on a per-pupil basis. It can help to think of it this way: a Los Angeles public school student is allocated a sum of money to pay their school to educate them well enough to be prepared for college and career. If the student does not feel they are receiving a quality education or have unique circumstances that require special accommodations, they are entitled to take their money to another public school of their choice.
Different Types of Charter Schools
Charter schools come in a variety of forms, each being different unto themselves. Some charter schools operate similarly to traditional public schools while many others utilize more innovative teaching methodologies and course formats to meet the needs of their students. Blended learning, guided independent study, and social-emotional emphasis (SEL), for example, are progressive educational approaches employed by many successful charter schools.
At Options For Youth, one such network of schools, allows students to create a personalized education plan from options like small group classes, independent study, online classes, career technical education (CTE), and experiential learning, to address academic needs while best complementing their learning style and responsibilities outside of school.
For more information about Options For Youth programming, visit ofy.org.
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