Since the beginning of the education system in the United States, reform has been on the lips of politicians. One of the newer reforms that has been growing in popularity over the past couple decades comes in the form of school choice.
U.S. News and World Report explains that charter schools are “publicly funded institutions that operate under their own standards and curriculum outside the realm of local public school districts” (2015). Charter schools have been one of the biggest developments in school choice reform’s regime.
According to The National Alliance for Public Schools, the movement began when a “small group of educators and policymakers came together to develop the charter school model. Minnesota’s legislature passed the first charter law in 1991, and the first charter school opened in 1992” (2014).
Since then, 42 states have passed legislation to allow charter schools.
West Virginia is one of eight states that have yet to pass laws permitting charter schools. Although these schools receive much criticism over their standards, teachers and curriculum, they have continued to prove to have benefits over their traditional public school rivals. Tax payers recognize the benefits of these programs, which is why charter schools have been gaining popularity over the years.
One reason that many are flocking to charter schools is that they are publicly funded by tax dollars, and allow parents the choice to send their students to high-performing schools without having to pay high tuition costs.
Before charter schools, students with special needs (advanced programs and English language learners), minorities, and students of low socioeconomic status were either forced to remain in public schools or pay tuition to go to private schools. Many charter schools have been developed to specifically target the needs of these types of students.
In a study by Stanford University, results show that, “Charter schools are especially helpful for some students, particularly students in poverty, black students and English language learners, all of whom post significantly higher gains in both reading and math” (2014).
Because charter schools are free, students in the community who struggle with English and members of the community who cannot afford private schooling tuitions are able to receive an education that is better suited to accommodate their learning needs.
Another reason that charter schools have been becoming more popular is that they are not required to abide by the same state standards that traditional public schools must. This enables mission-driven charter schools to operate upon the premises of specializations so curriculum is better adjusted to meet student needs.
The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools defines charter schools as being “unique public schools that are allowed the freedom to be more innovative while being held accountable for advancing student achievement. … In exchange for this accountability, school leaders should be given freedom to do whatever it takes to help students achieve and should share what works with the broader public school system so that all students benefit” (2014).
With these freedoms, charter schools can even extend the number of school days to assist their students in areas such as math, science and reading.
There are still many reservations about accepting charter schools as a form of public education. Some say that the public funding of charter schools removes money from the traditional public schools, but results have shown that there are many flaws in the education system that tax payers are not happy with.
As reforms continue to assert their effects on the education system, charter schools are not only growing in popularity but they are also becoming more developed.
Positive results are still slow in coming, but the numbers are continuing to rise in both the effectiveness of charter schools and the understanding of the benefits that can be offered through them over traditional public schools.