Charter school blog

                  One and the same? 

      Charter Schools v. Public Schools 

A charter school is a school that receives government funding but operates independently of the established state school system in which it is located. It is independent in the sense that it operates according to the basic principle of autonomy for accountability, that it is freed from the rules but accountable for results. According to the Education Commission of the States, "charter schools are semi-autonomous public schools that receive public funds. They operate under a written contract with a state, district or other entity (referred to as an authorizer or sponsor). This contract – or charter – details how the school will be organized and managed, what students will be expected to achieve, and how success will be measured. Many charters are exempt from a variety of laws and regulations affecting other public schools if they continue to meet the terms of their charters."These schools, however, need to follow State-mandated curriculum and are subject to the same rules and regulations that cover it, although there is flexibility in the way it is designed. 

There has been debate over the last decade about whether or not the education received in charter schools is better than the one offered in regular public school, and whether or not charter schools are considered public or private education.

In a nutshell, I think traditional public schools and charter schools have some major differences, but both are more bound to state laws and regulations than private schools. Just like public schools, charter schools are open to all children, do not require entrance exams, cannot charge tuition, and must participate in state testing and federal accountability programs. 

I was super intrigued about the concept of charter schools in the United States and decided to further my research about its development in today’s ever-changing society. I found that since charter schools are a relatively new phenomenon, there are still some bumps in the road in terms of guaranteeing their success rates. Issues with accountability and funding have contributed to high failure rates among charter schools.

“About 24% of charter schools close due to mismanagement, which is the 2nd largest reason for closure besides funding issues. Since charter schools and public schools directly compete for public funding, some argue that the existence of charter school undermines the public education system. Additionally, since charter schools can be run by for-profit organizations, some criticise for-profit charter schools as turning education into a business opportunity.” (Niche.com)