Exploring Characteristics of Charter Schools in America

The future of our country relies heavily on the successes of our children. With a rise in global competition and a downturn in the economy, it is now more important than ever for the youth of our country to receive the best education possible. As the Obama administration prepares to revamp the No Child Left Behind initiative, much attention is being given to the challenges and successes of charter schools. A charter school is defined as a school that operates independently from the local school board, often with a curriculum and educational philosophy that are different from the other schools in the system. Advocates for charters schools, while focusing on the success stories, believe that funding is needed for these schools so that the successes will continue to grow. Others claim that the success of charter schools is exaggerated and additional funding provided to these charter schools is taking away from the less successful schools that need more assistance. Should the new education initiative emphasize more funding to support a growing number of charter schools? In order for the new education initiative to be successful, the positive elements of charter schools should be gleaned and incorporated into the general public school system and into pre-existing schools.

Parents of children in charter schools are typically more motivated than parents in traditional public schools, particularly in areas where the traditional public schools are below national average. These are parents who presumably sought out the local charter school, enrolled their child, which can be an arduous process, signed an agreement with the school to adhere to their regulations and expectations, and are sacrificing personal time to commute their ch...

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...roblems of the educational system in this country. By taking the principles of the charter schools that do work such as fiscal and educational autonomy, parent involvement, and pursuit of private funding, and applying these to our traditional public schools, a more effective education reform can take place.

Works Cited

Seville, Michael, “Getting Parents Involved Is the Foundation of Student Success When Mom and Dad Come to Class, Kids do better” Eutopia Magazine 6 (2005): n. pag. Web. 15 July. 2010.

Ravitch, Diane "The Death and Life of the Great American School System: How Testing and Choice Are Undermining Education," Basic Books. 2010. New York, New York.

Wolf, Susan “New Stanford Report Finds Serious Quality Challenge in National Charter School Sector” Larsons Communications Press Release 15.6 (2009) n. page. Web. 15 July 2010