Are you thinking about letting your child enroll in a charter school? Here are a few facts that might help you make your decision.
1. The “charter” in a charter school refers to the agreement the school and the government have in regard to the school’s performance. The schools must prove that they’re succeeding if they wish to renew their contract every few years.
2. The state with the highest charter school attendance is Arizona, with 15% of all school-aged children enrolled.
3. It isn’t unusual for a charter school to operate on a for-profit basis.
4. The only states that haven’t passed laws to allow charter schools are Vermont, Montana, Maryland, Nebraska, North and South Dakota and West Virginia.
5. There are no zoning laws associated with charter schools, so where you live doesn’t determine whether you’ll get in or not.
6. Studies have not been able to prove whether a child gets a better education through charter schools vs a regular public school.
7. The first charter school was founded in 1991 in Minnesota.
8. A study was conducted in Michigan that showed that many of their local charter schools spent more on administration than on instruction when compared to the local public schools.
9. Most charter schools have a higher rate of expulsion than normal schools, probably because they usually have such rigid guidelines.
10. Charter schools have grown throughout the past two decades. There are currently over 7000 charter schools with over three million students in attendance.
11. There are many different types of charter schools. Some have a more authoritative approach, some have a special focus on areas such as science and math, while others are focused on children with special needs.
12. Students can avoid physical school locations altogether thanks to the advent of cyber-charter schools. These schools use the internet to send instructions to the students, with the parents acting as study guides.
