Do Charter Schools hurt Public Schools?
Brooke Martin
Robert Beckwith
English 102, 37644
12 October 2015
Robert Beckwith
English 102, 37644
12 October 2015
Do Charter Schools hurt Public Schools?
Charter schools are among the newest offering of education to students across the nation. There is no greater need than good schools that offer the enrichment and technology that children need to succeed in today's global and technologically driven work environment. Charter schools offer parent's a choice in their children's education. Often this choice leads parents to pull their children from a traditional schooling model of public education. Charter schools are private businesses that were started to enhance the education experience of the enrolled children, all while providing a return to the business operator.
However, it must be considered what effect this new model of education has had on the long standing public school system. Will the vast majority defect for this tailored education? Or, will the tried and true model of education prove to be superior and allow for children to flourish and meet their education goals? One choice will not be right for all, therefore Charter schools are a great offering for those that choose a different education model.
The path that a parent chooses for a child is a specific evaluation of what is best for that specific child. Parents may also choose differing school's for different children within their family. It is best to place a child in an environment in which they would thrive. After all, childhood education is the starting point for a lifelong love of learning.
As will be shown, Charter schools do not directly hurt Public schools by diversion of funds. Charter schools offer parental choice in childhood education while innovating schooling techniques that aide in educating children to their fullest potential. Charter schools, through healthy competition, make public schools perform better for the children that they educate.
Of the many offerings that a Charter school makes available is differing education models and curriculum. Charter Schools are able to be flexible with the material and pace held within their schools. Often an advanced curriculum is offered, as well as pathways that enhance technology, second language, music and art. The options that Charter schools offer are resources to parents that are largely reflective of the family's expectations of the child after their primary school years.
If a child is yearning for an advanced curriculum, technology driven coursework, or a pathway devoted to music or automotive repair, Charter schools are able to divert from the Public education model that provides a Common Core curriculum taught throughout the United States. This focus allows parents to deeply consider that wants and needs of the child and place them into an education system that will foster their educational goals.
Charter schools offer a competitive choice to parents who want more out of their child's early education. Public charter schools are simply another way to give parents choices in education for their children. The students in this state [West Virginia] deserve every opportunity to have an exceptional education that will prepare them for success in our global economy (Adams, 2012).
With that being said, Charter schools are not readily available in all areas. If Charter schools are enacting programs that parent's desire, they obviously want these schools in their areas. Charter schools need to be brought into more communities to offer choice for schooling. Charter schools have yet to realize their full potential, and the public is only going to expect more from Charters as these schools gain the advantages of experience and great results (Spellings, 2009).
Since Charter schools are diverting children and education dollars away from our Nation's Public schools, it stands to reason that it is important to investigate the consequences in doing so. Is there a big enough exit from Public school's that an effect is being felt? Or, is it a simple equation that the recent Recession has reduced funds flowing into Public schools and therefore they are struggling as an effect of aging schools, reduced tax dollars available and therefore limited funds to operate existing school systems?
Charter schools are funded by the taxpayer's off of tax dollars collected by the States. The tax dollars of student's who enroll at a Charter school follow them from the districted Public school that they would be slated to attend, now to the Charter school that the parents have selected. Opponents state that those tax dollars could be better spent on Public schools. Those are public education dollars pulled and put into another public setting. Why not pull those and put them in what we have now? Our schools are in a critical place and we need to take care of them (Trent, 2012). Certainly schools require the funds to keep them well maintained and operational, but are the opening of Charter Schools to blame? I think not.
It stands to reason that Public schools are not financially hurt by small amount of funds leaving the school by a small amount of children exiting the school. The effects would be detrimental if all of the students left and then chose to move to a neighboring Charter School. In theory, losing a student to a Charter school would be a wash because, though the district isn't getting state money for that kid, it also doesn't have to educate that student (Kardish, 2013).
Charter schools do not account of a large head count within their school building. Limited spaces are made available and often waiting lists are lengthy. With that being said Charter schools are often the same size or smaller than neighboring Public schools. Since a Charter school cannot accommodate a large number of enrollee's, many are turned away and therefore remain at the designated Public school. Funds are only pulled away once a child has begun the school year at the new Charter school. If multiple Public schools are within the area, each school will only be able to lose a limited number of student's for each grade level.
Additionally, the case can be made that Charter Schools are doing better than Public schools at educating our youth. Charter schools are in fact increasing student learning. The differing programs and specialties increases the breadth and depth of lessons that are being taught. However, this is not to say that Public schools do not offer advanced curriculum and pathways for exceptional students. Public schools offer GATE, Gifted and Talented Education, as well as other Science and Math focused pathways. Charter schools just offer parent's the opportunity to select the best pathway for their individual children- in a greater offering than the minor programs offered at the Public school.
As can be seen, Public schools are limited in the freedom within their course planning. Charter schools create a fine tuning opportunity to educate children in skills and desires that they wish to develop. Whether it be a heightened curriculum, a skill or trade or an exploratory education based on the changing needs of society. Although they [Charter schools] are funded with public money, they have been freed from district regulations and some state laws in exchange for greater accountability to achieve performance results set forth in the charter (Spellings, 2009).
The schools are allowed to tailor education to meet the needs of the children. These schools offer parents such a choice, that it has an effect on the neighboring schools to push them to be better. The main focus of charter schools is to improve low-performing schools, or to offer a more specialized focus (Trent, 2012). This specialized focus allows children to be engaged and learn skills that they can use in furthering their careers and extracurricular interests.
Charter schools are at the forefront of innovation in learning. They are able to take the best teachers and best available curriculum and provide it in innovative ways. They are not saddled with ancient technology that they are unable to maintain. They are able to test new curriculum to see how new generations react and maintain information or create a solid base for future learning. Charter schools are proving that new approaches to education can work-that breaking tradition and taking risks can yield tremendous results for students (Spellings, 2009).
Charter schools are also finding their way into some of the most impoverished and diverse areas that typically struggle with graduation and college readiness rates. There are studies that show that Charter schools area doing well for minority education. Since minorities are such an integral part of our Nation, it is imperative that these families be engaged and that their children are developed to their fullest potential.
If minority education fails a growing population of our Country- our Country suffers. [As] America continues to face a tragic inequity of opportunity in education that Charters can help address. Fifteen percent of our high schools produce more than half of our nation's dropouts, and many of these are city schools serving mostly minorities (Spellings, 2009). A child who does not earn a High School diploma, at minimum, is a potentially dangerous statistic to be coupled with the notably hard economic climate for minorities. A High School diploma or a College degree will aide in the families ability to climb the financial ladder to success. With most families coming to the United States for a better economic outlook, it is imperative that these children find a strong foothold within schooling to make those dreams a reality.
Since graduation rates of minorities are among the lowest in the Country it can be seen that Charter schools, and their efforts with minority communities, can aide in improving those statistics. Likewise, it can ready them for entry into College or trade schools. Of those who graduate, many are not ready for college. Only 9 percent of low-income students earn college degrees by age 24, and this must change (Spellings, 2009). Any movement towards College graduation is a step in the right direction.
One of the fastest growing segments of the Nation's makeup is that of the Hispanic population. It has been found that the Hispanic population does well with Charter school education. The customization of learning that Charter schools allow is translating into improved academic growth among Hispanics, a key demographic group in this country (Spellings, 2009). When schooling these people, their culture, heritage and values will become a widely held value system throughout the Country. Thus offering more opportunity for Hispanic people.
Will the number of Charter schools versus Public schools cause a failure of the Public school system? Unlikely. Charter schools are not allowed in all States. Alabama is one of 11 states that has never passed Charter school legislation, though Governor Bob Riley and the State School Board would like to see that changed (Trent, 2012). Some states are fearful of allowing these private business models into the education space of their State. Since Charter schools now have a long running resume to be pulled upon, it is a desirable education model to at least be evaluated for implementation into all school systems.
As stated above, Charter schools are illegal in some states, but also many States have overlying restrictions in place. Twenty-five states have restrictions that limit Charter school growth in some way. Charter schools have created an educational product that parents and students want, but many children remain cut off from these opportunities (Spellings, 2009). The ultimate goal would be to provide schooling options in all areas of the Nation.
Additionally, there are no expectations that Charter Schools are going to replace the public school system. Charter schools are there to fill a gap when traditional schools are failing," state education spokesman Michael Sibley told the Associated Press. "There's no expectation that we're going to see a ton of charter schools popping up all over the state [of Alabama] (Trent, 2012). Moreover, this would be a failed theory that all parents would want their children enrolled into a Charter School. Above all else, is choice.
Furthermore, it is important to note that the actual enrollment in Charter Schools isn't all that much of the overall population in public schools. Nationally, Charter schools claim 4.6 percent of overall enrollment, up from just one percent of all students in 2000 (Kardish, 2013). As can be seen, this is a very small fraction of the elementary school student's needing an education.
Largely, Charter schools are superior with funds usage as private business do more with less. Charter schools are public enterprises and as such, they are not bound to the same regulations as Public Schools. They are able to make flexible decisions on how funds should be spent on their students. Charter schools... operate as public institutions, but can be more flexible because they're not bound by as much red tape and regulations as traditional public schools (Trent, 2012). This lack of red tape allows the mixture of traditional teaching plus specific teaching or PE, the arts, Spanish, technology, etc.
Additionally, Charter schools do more, with less. In some cases they are able to elicit parent and community support and can sustain the business model with no additional requirement from the parent to fund an educational experience. Cyber Charter (and Charter) schools often receive 66-75% of State funding per student versus public school districts (Abraha, 2012). They are better able to cut through the bureaucracy and spend the funds on the student's, where it counts.
As can be seen, the Charter school system greatly improves the educational experience for the child. Additionally, it can be seen that the Charter schools improve public schools systems by creating a pressure to do more to meet the education goals of children, and families, as they now have options in the education realm. An independent Charter school can provide better opportunities, increase[d] accountability and foster educational excellence under the guiding principles and governance of a legislative charter, while traditional schools simultaneously benefit from their existence (Moore, 2012). The traditional schools in this instance, are the neighboring Public schools.
Charter schools do exercise their strength in meeting family's expectations in exceeding test scores and College entry. Charter Schools are a self-regulating business. If they are not meeting the public's expectations, they will close as student's move to other performing schools. Charter schools are accountable by their very nature, since they must close if they are not satisfying their customers, but Charters must continue to push themselves to deliver the highest caliber of education (Spellings, 2009). Options are at the pinnacle of this argument. When a family has options, schools will compete to meet their needs in educating their children. Whoever has the best programs and best performance will often win out in getting that child to enroll.
As indicated above, Charter schools are excellent places of education. However, Charter schools fail some students. It is not a learning model for all. Charter schools offer all different types of learning models. Some are even all online Charter school models. This may not be a one size fits all approach. If an in person program fits a child's learning best, an online school will not be the best option. Likewise, if a student's needs fit an online curriculum, they may find success whereas they would have fallen behind or been kicked out of a traditional school model. Currently, 39 states and the District of Columbia have Charter schools; of the nearly 5,000 Charter schools across the country, 217 are virtual or Cyber Charter schools (Abraha, 2012). Online schools offer options that parents are seeking.
Online schools, while not effective for some, offer a schooling environment for children that do not fit into the rigid public school model. Advocates counter that Cyber Charter education is the solution for students who are under-stimulated, overlooked, or face disciplinary and/or health issues that traditional schools are ill equipped to deal with (Abraha, 2012). Making school available to all is something that a Public school could not do. When some children were kicked out of a Public school, they had not options in securing a High School diploma.
As can be seen, Charter schools are not a one size fits all. Charter schools tend to weed out children and families alike. Charter schools tend to not be right for the family by the Parent Contract upon acceptance into a school.
It is not uncommon for Charter schools to require parents to sign a formal "Involvement" agreement to participate in their child's instruction programs. Such contracts have the potential to serve as a sorting mechanism, excluding parents who may be willing but are practically unable to fulfill such commitments (Cobb, 1999). These parent contracts enable the Charter schools to engage families through the volunteering of their time.
Charter schools create competition and offer choice. It offers children a place to continue excelling in their studies. We are seeing charter schools flourishing all over the country, serving over a million American students (Spellings, 2009). If their successes can further the knowledge and drive of today's youth, our progress and innovations will be limitless for years to come. Charter schools do well in areas where parents seek choice where the public schools systems are among the worst in the Nation. Many areas are struggling with graduation rates and further education in College. Some of the area's that are the hardest hit show the most promising rise in rates through Charter school education. Cities like Washington, DC, and New Orleans-where more than 60% of public school students attend Charters-are proving that Charter schools can be very effective at scale. They're not just solutions for small portions of a community's students anymore (Spellings, 2009). These are solutions for all.
As can be seen, Charter schools offer excelling programs as options for students and parent's alike. Likewise, Charter schools do not draw a surplus of funds away from Pubic schools. Through increased learning, they are propelling all children towards excellence, even among minority groups. Moreover, it can be seen that Charter schools are not positioning themselves to close Public schools, they are merely offering options to families for their children's educational experiences. Additionally, it can be seen that Charter schools are doing more with less while still producing some of the best educated children. It is through this competition of choice that Charter Schools are actually propelling Public schools to better themselves to retain their students.
Works Cited
Abraha, Weintana. "Online Charters May Fail Students and Reduce Public School Funding." Charter Schools. Ed. Margaret Haerens and Lynn M. Zott. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2012. Opposing Viewpoints. Rpt. from "Cyber Charter Schools: The End of Public Education or a New Beginning?" Atlanta Post. 2010. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 1 Oct. 2015.
Adams, Ben. "Charter Schools Are Superior to Public Schools." Charter Schools. Ed. Margaret Haerens and Lynn M. Zott. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2012. Opposing Viewpoints. Rpt. from "West Virginia Needs to Try Charter Schools." Charleston Daily Mail 24 June 2010. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 1 Oct. 2015.
Cobb, Casey D. and Gene V. Glass. Ethnic Segregation in Arizona Charter Schools. Education Policy Analysis Archives, 1999. 1-39. Web. 1 October 2015.
Kardish, Chris. "Do Charter Schools Hurt Public School Finances?" Governing Magazine. October 2013. Web. 1 October 2015.
Moore, Trent. "Charter Schools Draw Money Away from Public Schools." Charter Schools. Ed. Margaret Haerens and Lynn M. Zott. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2012. Opposing Viewpoints. Rpt. from "Charter-ing a New Course?" Cullman Times 24 Jan. 2010. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 1 Oct. 2015.
Spellings, Margaret. "Charter Schools Improve Education." Education. Ed. David Haugen and Susan Musser. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2009. Opposing Viewpoints. Rpt. from "Remarks at the 2007 National Charter Schools Conference." 2007. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 1 Oct. 2015.
