Without the foundation of a quality education a person will less likely possess the ability to lead a successful life with a purpose. Therefore, the great debate over what is the best kind of education to give a child is a very important one. A critical component in this education debate is whether or not a parent should consider Charter School as a viable choice for their child’s educational foundation.
Success in Charter schools: why parents choose this option for their children? Education is the greatest tool a person can possess in life, yet, it is a troubling fact that there is great inequality in our educational system that leads to a disparity in other aspects of life. Without the foundation of a quality education a person will less likely possess the ability to lead a successful life with a purpose. Therefore, the great debate over what is the best kind of education to give a child is a very important one. A critical component in this education debate is whether or not a parent should consider Charter School as a viable choice for their child’s educational foundation. In doing so, one has to know what Charter Schools are and where they are typically located, as well as, why they were created in the first place. Additionally, one must understand the options for a quality education for a child as opposed to Charter Schools. When discussing Charters as an option, one must also take into consideration the proponents view points on Charter Schools and the opponents’ reasons for opposing Charters. Finally, a parent needs to know the success’ and failures of the Charter School system and then can make an informed decision when it comes to Charter schools as a choice for their child. Exploring these aspects should bring a resolve to whether or not Charter Schools are a positive alternative for some children.
Historically our nation has been conflicted with theories and rules on who should and can get educated and where this education can take place. Before 195 , education was separated for white and black students, however, the Supreme Court case B own vs, Board of education had implications of changing that educational inequality (Holmes 2 . Nonetheless, because of other historic racial injustices, urban cities are afflicted with poverty, high crime, unemployment and unequal funding in their school systems. None of which are serendipitous, nevertheless, the multitude of problems that influence public education in urban areas are enormous and leave lasting effects on these communities. This leads to why a different type of school is needed and valued in urban communities. The choice in having schools that focused on changing the patterns of societal norms in disadvantage communities seemed to be warranted and welcomed, hence, Charter Schools were created.
Charter schools started in Minnesota in 1991, then in 1992 California started its first Charter schools. These schools started with three basic values in mind, choice, opportunities and taking responsibility for results (Holmes 2). The Center for Research on Education Outcomes was quoted to say that Charter schools “organized around a mission to teach the most economically disadvantaged students in particular seem to have developed expertise in serving these communities”(Holmes 2). To have positive reform in these otherwise failing educational
1 communities is a step in the right direction, thus, Charter schools in these types of communities
are an encouraging addition. These schools were made to be goal oriented and focused on closing the achievement gap between urban communities and wealthier communities (Holmes
2). The other option for parents is to send their children to a tragically, unsuccessful public school in their neighborhood or somehow come up with the funds to send them to a private school in another neighborhood. The unjust, racial law of the 1950’s, citing separate but equal education, turned into an unwritten rule that included maybe not separate but, definitely unequal education. For this reason Charter schools are impactful and imperative to these urban communities.
Infamously known for her opinion on education is Diane Ravitch. She is an education historian, among other titles and one of the major opponents in the Charter School debate. Her viewpoints include: that public schools should not be run like businesses and that many Charter Schools are run to make a profit and are not at the best interest of educational reform (Ravitch Blog). Although Ravitch has a enormous amount of supporters, who too believe that the answer to our nations educational woes is to fix the public school system and not replace it with Charters(Ravitch Blog), many others use data that proves the successes of Charters (especially in urban districts) makes the change to Charters worthwhile.
The New York Times ran an article that was entitled At Success Academy Charter School, High Scores and Polarizing Tactics on April 7th, 2015. This article identified a Charter School that is making great accomplishments in an urban district in Harlem New York. The article points to Success Academy Harlem as having an unmatched “devotion to accountability” (http://nyti.ms/1y)NJ0E). They told of a story that a student in the fourth grade was not doing well in math and spelling, scores of which were posted in the hallway, so the teacher had meetings with his mother, stayed steadfast in making him work on those subjects, after a while, he received a 90% score and the teacher was very proud. This was indicative of the idea of no child left behind because, for Success Academy failure seemed not to be an option. The article detailed that this school, like many Charters, serve students in a poor area with a Black and Hispanic demographic and amazingly they are outscoring many wealthy suburban schools and their state reading and math scores doubled the passing percentages compared to others in the state (http://nyti.ms/1y)NJ0E). By next year (2016) Success Academy will have 43 total schools which will make it one of the largest school communities in New York State.
Test scores are one way to view a child’s growth in learning certain concepts and no one can dispute Success Academy’s testing data. A huge dissention is in the autonomy and discretion Charter Schools have in their rule making and incentive practices. Since they are private ran institutions, they have the right to make their own rules and break, otherwise ordinary rules of conduct in public run schools. This lends to Success incentive rules like candy and toys for good behavior and high test scores (http://nyti.ms/1y)NJ0E). Also there is autonomy in how much a teacher can make and the hours they work. Many teachers, are new graduates, and work 11 hours daily and when they perform well they can “expect quick promotions, with some principals in their 20s” (http://nyti.ms/1y)NJ0E). One teacher explained that although the workload was tough, it was necessary and that it “takes a very specific type of person who can handle the pressure” (http://nyti.ms/1y)NJ0E). This does lead to high job turnover rates and conflict with the unionized teachers in the state many who are against Charter school (http://nyti.ms/1y)NJ0E). With the controversy surrounding large, stressful, achievement based Charter networks like Success Academy, many raise the question; does it take a specific type of child to handle the pressure as well?
Although students are awarded with incentives that children love, the day to day expectations are high are Charter Schools like Success. Children are expected to sit a certain way and clasp their hands to prevent fidgeting and wear exceptionally neat uniforms. Walk in uniformed lines while going to lunch and the classrooms that were observed by the New York Times reporter were strict and the teachers were demanding (http://nyti.ms/1y)NJ0E). The test taking strategies were described as grueling and one teacher told of children not being allowed to use the restroom during testing which lead to embarrassing and demeaning accidents (http://dianeravitch.net/category/charterschools/).
Some children were even forced to come on some Saturdays to take practice test; nevertheless, they were rewarded for doing well. Teachers say that the students want to do well because of the high expectations and are compelled to “go the extra mile” (http://nyti.ms/1y)NJ0E). Charter Schools like Success Academy, regardless of controversial tactics, in regards to the disadvantaged communities many of them serve, are a great change to the many failing public schools in those same areas. They seem to give the students of those communities a leveled playing field, to grow and become more productive citizens of society. For the parents struggling economically and who may have humble educational backgrounds themselves and many English Language Learners, Charter Schools are appreciated and well received.
So why are many parents choosing Charter Schools for their children? For some there is not another option because the failing, neighborhood public school may have been closed down and replaced by Charter Schools. For others, Rational Choice Theory plays a part in the decision making process to choose a Charter School verses a public school (Villavicencio82). Parents will choose a school based on the cost and benefit breakdown and how they perceive each. Additionally “factors of consideration may include student achievement or school performance, but also safety, convenience, or geographical proximity (Villavicencio 82)”. There are many stories from teachers who have worked for Charter Schools and have had great experiences and many others who have worked for them and made an informed decision afterwards to be opposed to their strategies for success. Ultimately, however, it is the students that matter, accordingly, the proof would be in their successes afterward. There are many reasons to choose Charter Schools, as detailed in my research, conversely, opponents to Charter Schools like Diane Ravitch will say if nothing more, Public Schools are American and they keep the democratic nature and uphold the stance on the American way.
In conclusion, Charter Schools have been around since 1991 and by the looks of things are not going anywhere; however, in a democratic country where there are many opponents to these alternative schools; public schools are still a viable option for those parents who choose them. As long as a parent researches and weighs the pros and cons to both the public schools and Charter Schools in their area using Rational Choice Theory logic, they will (hopefully) choose the right school for their child. It seems that low income communities, typically minority parents (Villavicencio 84), are choosing Charter Schools to change the lives of their children for the better. The Charter Schools in these areas give the students a fair chance by having high expectations and using real world competitive ideologies and training, that to some seem harsh, but for others it is a way to bridge the achievement gap between economically and socially dissimilar communities. It is a parent’s obligation to give the best educational foundation to their child; with Charter Schools in a lot of disadvantaged communities on the rise, at least they have that choice.
Works Cited
Ash, Katie, "N.Y.C.'s Charter School Debate Moves to State Capitol". Education Week. ;March 2014 April 2015 < www.edweek.org>23charter.h24html >.
Holmes, Dr. Ronald, "Why do some parents choose Charter Schools for their children". Charter
Advocate. ; May 2013 Washington Informer April 2015
<www.charteradvocate.org/charter.../107whydosomeparentschoosec...>.
Ravitch, Diane, "A Former Success Academy Teacher Steps Forward to Tell Her Story". Diane
Ravitch Blog. ; April 2015 April 2015 <
http://dianeravitch.net/category/charterschools/>.
Taylor, Kate, "At Success Academy Charter Schools, High scores and polarizing tactics". New
York Times. ; April 2015 April 2015
<http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/07/nyregion/atsuccessacademycharterschoolspolari zingmethodsandsuperiorresults.html?ref=education&_r=0 >.
Villavicencio, A , "It's Our Best Choice Right Now" exploring how Charter School Parents Choose. " EPAA ;education policy analysis v21 n81 (2013) :81 101
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- Quote paper
- Artemis Minor (Author), 2015, Charter School or Public Education?, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/310445
