by: Oliver C.
Ever since Minnesota passed the first charter school law in 1991 charter schools have been gaining a rising popularity in the United States. Why is this so? Why has the percentage of public-school students who attend public charter schools in the US increased from 1 to 6 percent between fall 2000 and fall 2017? Well I am here to give you the answers.
First, let’s start with the basics. What actually is a charter school? A public charter school, according to the Google Dictionary, is a publicly funded independent school established by teachers, parents, or community groups under the terms of a charter with a local or national authority. What this means is virtually every parent, teacher and/or community group can create a charter school by having their charter school petition approved by the local school district governing board. What makes these DIY public schools so important? Here are three reasons why public charter schools were created and remain one of the most pertinent educational pursuits in the United States of America.
The first reason why charter schools are so essential to the education of aspiring students is that they provide parental choice. Before charter schools were invented parents of school age children grappled with the decision of neighborhood schools or a high-priced private education for their kids. With the introduction of public charter schools, parents have a unique, new choice to provide a quality learning experience for their children. The second reason that supports the significance of public charter schools is reduced class size. Many public charter schools in the United States have smaller classes than the average public schools enabling teachers to have more one on one teaching encounters with their students. This individualized learning experience helps to pinpoint children’s discrete educational needs in order to provide a rich and rewarding school day. The last reason why charter schools are very important to America is that they have the ability to specialize. By choosing a specific area of learning such as performing arts or science and engineering, most charter school students are capable of taking classes that orient with their fixed career appeals, allowing them to become more devoted to their education.
So next time you hear people discussing the abolishment of school choice think about why charter schools should remain. Whether providing parental choice, more one on one time with teachers or specializing in a certain area of study, charter schools are always assisting the country’s young learners on the path to academic brilliance.
