Public vs. Charter Schools
Public Schools vs. Charter Schools
The first day of school is a rite of passage for most children. The step from home or day care to school is huge: they are a big kid now. However, sometimes the local Public School, especially in rural or economically challenged areas, can be an uncertain, questionable and scary place, and yet parents are expected to entrust them with their five or six year old child. Some years ago, when my daughter was ready to enter school, she and I had just such an experience, and we began to seriously search for an alternative school for her to attend. What we discovered was a Charter School: a possible solution for parents, enabling them to take more control of their child’s education. For my daughter and our situation, it was an excellent choice. Today, fifteen years later, the Charter School movement is stronger than ever and I believe I would still make the same choice. However, as a former employee of one of the leading Schools of Education in the US, I learned the complexity of the issues involved. By comparing student achievement measurements only, the option of a Charter School can be a good alternative to an education in Public Schools.
Why not just send children to school, like parents have done for years? According to the award-winning documentary film Waiting for ‘Superman’, Public Schools no longer meet the educational needs of children today. Across the nation, 67% of students in the 4th grade tested below grade level in both reading comprehension and in math. Here in Ohio, only 36% of students tested were proficient in reading comprehension (Waiting for ‘Superman’). In 2009, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), compared student performances across countries in math and science; they found that 15-year-olds in the United States rate 25th out of 30 countries in math and reading, and 21st in science (OECD 58, 131, 154). Sadly,
The first day of school is a rite of passage for most children. The step from home or day care to school is huge: they are a big kid now. However, sometimes the local Public School, especially in rural or economically challenged areas, can be an uncertain, questionable and scary place, and yet parents are expected to entrust them with their five or six year old child. Some years ago, when my daughter was ready to enter school, she and I had just such an experience, and we began to seriously search for an alternative school for her to attend. What we discovered was a Charter School: a possible solution for parents, enabling them to take more control of their child’s education. For my daughter and our situation, it was an excellent choice. Today, fifteen years later, the Charter School movement is stronger than ever and I believe I would still make the same choice. However, as a former employee of one of the leading Schools of Education in the US, I learned the complexity of the issues involved. By comparing student achievement measurements only, the option of a Charter School can be a good alternative to an education in Public Schools.
Why not just send children to school, like parents have done for years? According to the award-winning documentary film Waiting for ‘Superman’, Public Schools no longer meet the educational needs of children today. Across the nation, 67% of students in the 4th grade tested below grade level in both reading comprehension and in math. Here in Ohio, only 36% of students tested were proficient in reading comprehension (Waiting for ‘Superman’). In 2009, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), compared student performances across countries in math and science; they found that 15-year-olds in the United States rate 25th out of 30 countries in math and reading, and 21st in science (OECD 58, 131, 154). Sadly,
Cited: Abdulkadiroglu, Atila, et al. “Accountability and Flexibility in Public Schools: Evidence from Boston’s Charters and Pilots.” Quarterly Journal of Economics 126.2 (May 2011): 699-748. Education Research Complete. Web. 16 Mar .2013. Bryant, Jeff. “Will Charter Schools Survive The Charter School Movement?” Education Opportunity Network. Ed. Jeff Bryant. Institute for America’s Future. 27 Mar. 2013. Web. 9 Apr. 2013. Center for Research on Education Outcomes (CREDO). Charter School Performance in Massachusetts. Stanford: Stanford University, 2013. Web. 15 Apr. 2013. Center for Research on Education Outcomes (CREDO). Multiple Choice: Charter School Performance in 16 States. Stanford: Stanford University, 2009. Web. 11 Apr. 2013. Coulson, Andrew J. “Comparing Public, Private, and Market Schools: The International Evidence.” Journal of School Choice 3.1 (Jan.-Apr. 2009): 31-54. Education Research Complete. Web. 18 Mar. 2013. Fabricant, Michael and Michelle Fine Grant, Nick. “What are Charter Schools?” Education Review 23.1 (Winter 2010): 25-26. Education Research Complete. Web. 16 Mar. 2013. OECD. PISA 2009 Results: What Students Know and Can Do—Student Performance in Reaching, Mathematics and Science (Volume 1). Paris, France. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). 2010. 276. Oecd.org. Web. 15 Apr. 2013. Paisner, Eric J. “Autonomy & Flexibility in Charters.” School Administrator 68.7 (Aug. 2011): 20-25. Education Research Complete. Web. 16 Mar. 2013. Waiting for ‘Superman’. Dir. Davis Guggenheim. Perf. The Black Family, Geoffrey Canada, The Esparza Family, and The Hill Family. Participant Media. 2010. DVD.