Charter Schools

Whats at Stake?
Controversy in Education
What is a Charter School?

Charter schools are public schools of choice, meaning that families

choose them for their children. They operate with freedom from
some of the regulations that are imposed upon district schools.
Charter schools are accountable for academic results and for
upholding the promises made in their charters (Schools U., n.d.).
How are Charter Schools Structured

Charter schools may be developed around various areas of focus:

A particular teaching method, such as the Montessori method
A specific subject, such as math, art or music
Theme-based curriculum, such as environmental sustainability or language
immersion
Serving a specific population, such as at-risk students
Personnel policies or teacher payment strategies, such as merit-based pay
Attendance at Charter schools have
increased
Charter School have Grown!

Enrollment in charter public

schools has grown by 250,000
students in the 2015-16 school
year, and more than 400 new
charter public schools have
opened their doors, according
to, "A Closer Look at the
Charter School Movement:
Schools, Students, and
Management Organizations,
2015-16."
Public School vs Charter School

The percentage of public school students who attended public

charter schools increased from 2 to 5 percent between fall 2004 and
fall 2014.
While the number of students attending traditional public schools
decreased by 0.4 million
Many have a hard time excepting Charter school into their
communities due to the unfair advantage they have on public schools
Makeover not Take-over

Many are involved in advancing social purpose, for example, the

academic development of the poorest youngsters in urban areas.
Others see charter as a political and/or ideological opportunity to
open up the public sector to market forces"(Fine, 2012 p 28).

There has to be a median between existence of charter and public

education without destroying equality in education.
Conclusion - Stay Focused!

Students are the priority

Social justice and quality
education are the focus
Education not Politics