Charter schools

Charter schools
Name	Charter schools

Charter schools are public schools that operate independently of traditional public school systems, often with innovative approaches to education, as seen in the United States with the support of Bill Clinton and Newt Gingrich. They are usually established by teachers, parents, or community leaders who want to create a more effective and efficient learning environment, similar to the Montessori method developed by Maria Montessori. The concept of charter schools has been influenced by the ideas of Milton Friedman, an economist who advocated for school choice and vouchers, as well as Diane Ravitch, an education historian who has written extensively on education reform. Charter schools have been compared to other alternative education models, such as homeschooling and online learning, which have been popularized by Sal Khan and his Khan Academy.

Definition and History

Charter schools have their roots in the 1960s and 1970s, when educators like Ray Budde and Albert Shanker proposed the idea of autonomous public schools, inspired by the Brown v. Board of Education decision and the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The first charter school law was passed in Minnesota in 1991, with the support of Governor Arne Carlson and Senator Paul Wellstone. Since then, charter schools have expanded to over 40 states, with notable examples including the KIPP network, founded by Mike Feinberg and Dave Levin, and the Uncommon Schools network, founded by Norm Atkins. The growth of charter schools has been influenced by education reform efforts, such as No Child Left Behind and Race to the Top, which were implemented during the George W. Bush and Barack Obama administrations.

Types of Charter Schools

There are several types of charter schools, including virtual schools, which provide online instruction, as seen in the Florida Virtual School and the California Virtual Academies. Other types include magnet schools, which focus on specific subjects like science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) or the arts, as well as language immersion schools, which teach students in a foreign language, such as Spanish or Mandarin Chinese. Some charter schools, like the High Tech High network, focus on project-based learning and STEM education, while others, like the YES Prep network, emphasize college preparation and character development, inspired by the work of Angela Duckworth and Carol Dweck. Charter schools may also be categorized by their governance structure, such as non-profit organizations or for-profit companies, like Pearson Education and McGraw-Hill Education.

Governance and Funding

Charter schools are typically governed by a board of directors or trustees, which may include parents, teachers, and community members, as seen in the Chicago Public Schools and the New York City Department of Education. Funding for charter schools usually comes from a combination of public funding and private donations, with some schools also receiving support from foundations like the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Walton Family Foundation. The funding model for charter schools has been influenced by the work of economists like Eric Hanushek and Caroline Hoxby, who have studied the effects of school finance on student outcomes. Charter schools may also receive funding from corporations like Google and Microsoft, which have invested in education technology and digital learning initiatives.

Curriculum and Instruction

Charter schools often have the freedom to design their own curriculum and instructional methods, which may include project-based learning, personalized learning, and blended learning, as seen in the Summit Public Schools network and the New Classrooms model. Some charter schools, like the BASIS Charter Schools network, focus on rigorous academic standards and Advanced Placement (AP) courses, while others, like the Big Picture Learning network, emphasize real-world learning and community engagement, inspired by the work of Dennis Littky and Elliot Washor. Charter schools may also incorporate special programs like special education and English language learner (ELL) support, as well as extracurricular activities like sports and arts programs, which have been supported by organizations like the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Federation of State High School Associations.

Effectiveness and Criticisms

The effectiveness of charter schools is a topic of ongoing debate, with some studies showing positive results, such as the CREDO study at Stanford University, and others raising concerns about inequity and lack of accountability, as seen in the work of Diane Ravitch and Gary Orfield. Critics argue that charter schools may drain resources from traditional public schools, as seen in the Detroit Public Schools and the Philadelphia School District, and may not serve students with disabilities or English language learners adequately, as reported by the National Center for Learning Disabilities and the National Association for Bilingual Education. However, proponents argue that charter schools provide innovation and choice in education, as seen in the New Orleans Recovery School District and the Washington, D.C. Public Charter School Board, and can help to close the achievement gap for low-income students and students of color, as reported by the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools and the Education Trust.

International Examples

Charter schools have been influenced by international models, such as the free schools in Sweden and the academies in the United Kingdom, which have been supported by politicians like Boris Johnson and Michael Gove. Other countries, like Canada and Australia, have also implemented similar models, such as the charter schools in Alberta, Canada and the independent public schools in Western Australia, which have been studied by researchers like Linda Darling-Hammond and Andy Hargreaves. The international experience with charter schools has been shaped by global education initiatives like the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), which has been administered by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), which has promoted Education for All and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Category:School types