Despite many Americans completely misunderstanding the concept of charter schools, they can be a really great way to get a less mainstream education—still completely free. Although not a traditional public school, charter schools are, in fact, funded by the public. The difference lies in how they are organized and what regulations control that organization. If you’re looking at sending your child to a charter school, consider these pros and cons.
Pro: Alternative education without the cost of private school.
While charter schools are subject to certain regulations, they are incredibly less restrictive when it comes to organizing, hiring, and even ordering supplies. Teachers’ certifications are a little bit different, which means you have a better chance of someone with experience in the field rather than experience teaching. In addition, those teachers can create a curriculum that is quite different from traditional public schools. The requirements to follow specific texts, ways of teaching, and other stifling restrictions are much less stringent. Charter schools even have wider options for things as simple as ordering food.
Con: Parents and students may have fewer avenues for change.
The “charter” in charter schools refers to the contract that gives these schools their funding. Many are private companies trying to make a profit. While this can be great for the educational aspect, many of the programs receive less funding than they would in a traditional public school (i.e. special education programs). Unfortunately, with a big company in charge, some of those decisions cannot be taken to task by families of attending students. Where a protest might have made a difference in public schools if, say, a beloved principal was fired like in Oakland, this isn’t as true for charter schools. When you get in bed with big business, you have to face the consequences.
Pro: Anyone can attend—it just takes the effort to apply.
Because charter schools are funded by the public, even if it isn’t in the same way as public schools are funded, there is no charge for students. And, because they are still technically public schools, they can’t “deny” students who apply. Ideally, a charter school would have the funding to open its doors to every applicant. Realistically, most charter schools are funded on a per-student basis. Sure, that means more students equals more money, but it also means a school can’t magically support a 50% increase from the year before with little to no notice. Instead, charter schools randomly choose from amongst the applications until all the spots are filled.
Cons: Students who don’t excel may struggle with the change.
While charter school students are supposed to be chosen randomly, there’s only so much randomness to be had. These schools are designed to raise up students who do well and work hard, and charter schools may even target those types of students through their curriculum design. Below average students may have trouble keeping up with the mainstream. Determination can do a lot, but it can only take you so far if you don’t understand the concept and aren’t keeping up with the rest of the class.
Unfortunately, not every child is going to be in a charter school to learn. Not every child is an angel, and over time suspensions leads to expulsions. No matter how broad the radius for a school district, eventually kids that aren’t in school to learn are going to run out of public school options. Since charter school positions are assigned randomly, it’s a great place as a second-chance option for kids with discipline problems. Unfortunately, it can also mean a lot of those kids wind up in a charter school, especially in areas with limited charter school availability.
Pro: Most charter schools don’t have the zoning restrictions of traditional public schools.
Because public schools cater to specific sections of the city or region they are located in, charter schools can appeal to a much larger vicinity. Public school zoning tends to mean that areas with more families below the poverty line and less money to throw around simply don’t have the funds to provide the same quality education as those in ritzier neighborhoods. Additionally, many of the kids in poorer areas have more to worry about than school, which means it becomes harder to educate those kids that do want to learn. Charter schools offer a way for those kids that really want to learn but live in the wrong neighborhood to have access to teachers who aren’t as harried. Charter schools also place them within a group of other kids who have similar learning ambitions.
