Introduction
Charter schools have become a popular alternative to traditional public schools in the United States. But what exactly is a charter school and how does it differ from a typical public school?
Definition
A charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently of the established public school system. They are granted a charter by an authorizing body, which can be a local school district, university, or non-profit organization, to operate with more autonomy in exchange for meeting certain performance goals.
Autonomy
One of the key characteristics of charter schools is their autonomy in decision-making. They are free from many of the regulations that traditional public schools must adhere to, allowing them to be more flexible in areas such as curriculum, hiring practices, and budget allocation.
Accountability
While charter schools have more freedom, they are also held accountable for their performance. If they fail to meet the goals outlined in their charter, they may be shut down or have their charter revoked.
Examples
One example of a successful charter school is the Success Academy Charter Schools in New York City. Founded in 2006, Success Academy has become one of the largest and highest-performing charter school networks in the city, serving primarily low-income students.
Case Studies
In a study conducted by Stanford University, it was found that students in urban charter schools gained the equivalent of 40 additional days of learning in math and 28 additional days in reading compared to their peers in traditional public schools.
Statistics
According to the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, there were over 7,000 charter schools serving nearly 3.3 million students in the United States during the 2019-2020 school year.
