A charter school is a public school and receives funding from local, state and federal sources just like any other public school. They are also held by the same mandates and requirements in regards to curriculum, testing, and special education services. The difference is in their charter, or set of self-written rules, with a local or national entity. They operate outside the local school district and can be organized by a group of parents, teachers, a nonprofit, corporation or a community group. They have a theme or focus and pledge to meet the conditions of their charter. They can specialize in anything from technology, the arts, world languages, a learning modality, or any specific area of study. They range from highly structured uniformed students sitting in desks to casual programs of discovery learning through art projects. They can consist of a classroom of one student taking online classes to a multi-campus organization serving thousands of students.
History
Ray Budde was an assistant professor at the school of education at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. He suggested the term “charter” in the paper he wrote, “Education by Charter”, for the Society for General Systems Research in 1974. His idea was to restructure the district to support the efforts of innovative teachers within the public-school system. This was to result in a new kind of school that would give teachers increased responsibility over curriculum and instruction in exchange for greater accountability for student achievement.
It wasn’t until the Nation At Risk report of the 1980’s and all the media attention and the Carnegie Forum report that followed that the concern for restructuring public education arose. Dr. Budde resubmitted his idea and got his paper published by the Northeast Regional Lab in 1988. His idea was supported by the American Federation of Teachers President, Al Shanker, and was published in the New York Times later that year.
His idea was soon implemented and expanded in Minnesota. A study committee of the Citizens League chaired by the CEO of Cray Research soon picked up the idea. They modified the concepts advanced by Budde and Shanker envisioning a framework of state policy and the possibility of schools being authorized by the state as well as by a local school board. Minnesota passed a law allowing the establishment of charter schools in 1991.
California enacted a chartering program in 1992 in a somewhat different form. Six more states introduced more variations in 1993. Though these changes were not what Dr. Budde had originally intended, he stated in 1996, when he published his book, Strengthen School-based Management by Chartering All Schools, “There are more powerful dynamics at work in creating a whole new school than in simply restructuring a department or starting a new program.” He saw a “necessity of placing more decision-making at the school level, close to the classrooms.”
Each Charter School is Unique
Each charter school has its own mission or focus, which can easily be found on their website and publications. Since their enrollment is not based on boundaries as traditional public schools are, they rely on advertising, word of mouth and other recruiting methods to attract students. Some charters are drawn up in support of a specific learning ideology such as Montessori or experiential learning. Others are centered around an emphasis such as technology or world languages.
Charter schools have received mixed reviews from parents with some highly favorable, some unimpressed and others who have reported negative experiences and frustrations. Clearly the title of “charter” does not guarantee a superior academic setting. Some parents have reported that while a charter school may be excellent one year, the quality can change with a change in administration. The staff of a charter school can be much more transient as well. And some charter schools do close, causing upheaval for students and families. The rate of charter school closures during the renewal period has been 7% from 2014 to 2016 after a spike of 12.9% during the 2011 to 2012 school year.
As with any educational choice, parents are well advised to research carefully with a full consideration of their children’s unique needs and interest. It is always a good idea to allow older children input on decisions that affect them. They will have a vested interest in deciding whether or not a charter school is right for them. And if they have participated in the decision, they are more likely to actively participate in their education.