The Pros and Cons of Charter Schools

Parents agree that education is one of the principle factors of a child’s development. Where you decide to take your child for school is often a difficult and complex decision. Parents consider classroom sizes, styles of teaching, how close the school is to home, bus options and routes, cost of tuition, books and the commute, subjects offered, reputation of the school and even the school’s distance from the nearest fire station or police station and of course, mom and dad’s place of work. Parents may consider a charter school for a few reasons. Charter schools often offer a specified focus such as science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Many parents are happy to enroll their children in charter schools and some families go as far as to seek out a charter school even if it is not close to their home and not their school district. Why is this?

Who Pays for Charter Schools?

The state will ultimately be the main source of funding for a charter school. These schools receive funding on a per-pupil basis, so schools located in densely populated cities will have more financial resources with which to operate than charter schools found in areas with lower populations. Schools receive a certain amount of dollars per student enrolled. The number of enrolled students also enables the schools administrative staff to justify an application for further funding from state and federal grants. These grants are typically very specific and notate where the funding is to be spent. Some grants are given to pay for renovations or lab equipment. Most grants are available to charter schools that have been open for less than five years. Newer charter schools without a reputation face a greater struggle in an effort to attract students while providing an environment that nurtures education with modern computers, books, equipment, and furniture.

Another source of funding for charter schools are the families that send their students to the school. Charter schools are tuition-free, however, some do accept donations from families. These donations can vary from family to family, however, it can be difficult for a charter school to operate at a standard above public schools without them. Charter schools in smaller towns tend to not only encourage student family donations, but they also have annual fundraisers that urge families to attend and participate. This helps raise funding for the school while at the same time nurturing a community among student families that help develop relationships among school faculty and families. This boosts continued enrollment, meaning students continue to attend the school year after year.

What Are Pros of Charter Schools?

Charter schools have many benefits that aren’t always seen in public schools. Charter schools allow parents to have a greater list of options for their child’s education. The schools also promote a higher standard that encourage the public and private schools in your district to follow suit. Charter schools also have other characteristics that set them apart from other schools.

1. Small Classroom Sizes

Charter schools tend to have smaller classroom sizes. Rather than having your child attend a public school where your student will be one among thirty to thirty-five other pupils, your child will be one of twelve, sometimes fifteen other students. Charter schools often boast smaller classroom sizes emphatically because the number of students in a classroom is linked to how well each student understands and retains information.

In a classroom with many students, a teacher may not have the ability to spend sufficient quality time one-on-one with every student. Not every student will have the opportunity to read aloud or take his or her turn presenting his or her project, assignment or opinion. The teacher has a greater challenge in motivating each student and encouraging students individually. The teacher may not have the time to recognize each student’s particular challenges, passions, and talents. From the perspective of the student, the lack of time given to them from the teacher may reduce their ability to relate to the subject or enjoy the nuances present in each lesson.

Lessons may be hurried, as larger classroom sizes are stressful for the teacher, who struggles to educate the students on the subject matter, prepare them for the assignment and give them all of the resources they’ll need for state examinations. Even in private schools, classroom sizes can have twenty to twenty-five students. Teachers must also design lessons that challenge the intellectually advanced students and are at the same time able to be properly grasped by students with learning disabilities or other challenges such as speaking English as a second language. Charter schools have smaller classroom sizes. The lessons can be described and explored at length and the students are given optimal one-on-one time with their teacher. Group and partner work is encouraged and the teacher is able to easily manage the classroom without the stress that a larger classroom size brings.

2. Charter Schools Have A Unique Focus

Charter schools tend to have a unique focus and offer a myriad of courses that other schools may not offer. Some of these courses include marital arts, music and foreign language subjects like Mandarin and Japanese. Technological courses are offered that will advance your child’s understanding of robotics and engineering. Cooking courses and extracurricular subjects are an effective way that charter schools are able to stand out from their public counterparts. Some courses, such as culinary arts, for instance, have quarterly or annual events that invite parents to see and taste what students have learned.

Performances, dinners, and shows bring student families together and cultivate a closely-knit community that is unique, valuable and positive. Charter schools have a specific focus that shapes the courses offered to students. For instance, some charter schools are STEM, meaning that courses are all tied back into science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Some charter schools are focused on the arts, where students will be given the opportunity to explore their own free thought and creativity in every subject. The unique focus of charter schools is a big reason why many of them experience annual increases in enrollment.

3. Younger Administration, Staff & Faculty

Charter schools often have a younger faculty body than public and private schools. This trend can be a good thing if you value the teachers’ ability to use his or her academic skills in the classroom gained from having graduated from their educational programs more recently than older teachers. Younger teachers and administrators also have a greater ability to relate to parents and develop special relationships with young families.

Younger administrators are also more likely to encourage the use of financial resources for modern renovations and fun events more often. Younger staff arguably still possess the fervor, motivation, and passion for teaching and providing a quality educational environment based on innovation compared to teachers, administrators and staff who have been employed in education for many decades.

With all of these wonderful benefits to attending a charter school, what are some of the reasons why you may choose another school for your child?

What Are the Cons of Charter Schools?

On the other hand, here are some of the most notable cons of charter schools.

1. Funding Can Be Limited

Charter schools have a much harder time procuring funds. They are often newer than public schools and haven’t secured the annual grants and funding needed to operate proficiently. Being underfunded can undermine the common idea that charter schools are innovative. Though conceptually charter schools are unique, without proper funding, they are not able to support their diverse curriculum with new computers, software, equipment, and laboratories. If funding is limited, teachers may suffer from lower salaries and therefore teacher and administrator turnover may be higher than public schools.

2. Lack of Bus Transportation

Charter schools typically operate on such a fiscal inefficiency that they decrease expenditures on school buses. If school buses are provided, it can be at cost, which may rule out low-income families from registering for the school if they live farther away from the school. In fact, the lack of school buses may cause many families to select other schools if both parents have jobs or other small children and they aren’t able to pick up their student or arrange for a car pool with a classmate.

3. Transparency Controversy

Charter schools may be easily placed under suspicion for lack of transparency. These institutions can be run as private schools with the benefits of public schools, so they are not held accountable in the same way public schools are mandated. Some charter schools are run by board members who aren’t even in the same state as the school itself, so there may be disconnect between the school's direction and focus and the community that surrounds it.

As a parent, you want to make sure that your student is in an innovative environment that fosters creativity, education, growth, and development. Charter schools can be a great asset to a family focused on the benefits that charter schools can provide your child. On the other hand, cons of charter schools should be taken into consideration when deciding whether or not a charter school is right for your child.