Are charter schools allowed?

[KarenC]

Are charter schools allowed where you live? They are not allowed in KY and I think they would be very beneficial.

 

Does anyone have experience with a charter school? I mean as an alternative to a traditional school, not as another option for homeschooling.

 

Thanks,

Karen

[littlebug42]

Charter schools are allowed in Ohio. The K12 virtual academy is a public charter school. They are upheld to the same testing standards etc of other public schools but have more freedom on how they get there. There are may different philosophies. Some perform very well and others do not. The charter schools do however have performance standards not required of public schools in that if they don't perform to certain levels after a certain period of time, they will be shut down.

 

This is a list of charter schools in Ohio. If you click the links, you can look at their school report cards from the state testing etc and compare. This includes virtual and brick and mortar schools. http://ilrc.ode.state.oh.us/schools/Comm_School_list.asp

[Dmmetler]

In TN, although this probably is changing, Charters are limited to kids zoned into low performing schools or who failed the state test.

 

I tutored at a charter last year, and was overall impressed. It's a nice, traditionally minded school that is working hard to try to give the kids what they need. I think it's successful largely because the parents are those who have chosen to have their child there, and that if the parent doesn't follow through on getting the child to school regularly, dressed in their uniform, with homework completed, the child doesn't stay, and if the child doesn't follow the behavior code, the child doesn't stay.

 

The school relies heavily on volunteers to take kids in small groups or 1-1 for reading or math instruction (I tutor math) to improve their skills.

 

I like that they do a lot of physical activity, which includes chores around the building and in the yard. You won't find a piece of trash anywhere near that school, for example, and you'll see students sweeping up the classrooms and even pulling weeds in the sidewalk. The kids take a lot of pride in their school.

 

 

I don't think it would be a good fit for my DD, because it's very definitely focused on remediation and tends to the Afrocentric side enough that the history taught makes me uncomfortable, but I do think it's a good school for the kids who are able to go there. I taught in a public school with a similar population for 8 years, and I have to say that the charter is MUCH better than the public school was-mostly, I believe, because the teachers can focus on teaching, not parenting.

[Jan in SC]

Charter schools are allowed in SC. I haven't really explored all of the options, so I don't know a lot about them. None of the homeschool support groups near me will let a charter student join, but I think they have their own field trips and activities.

[Renee in NC]

What do you mean by charter schools? NC has charter schools, but they are brick and mortar schools that operate somewhat like a private school, but tuition-free.

 

My oldest attends one and it is a *great* school.

[AngieW in Texas]

Texas has brick&mortar charters and virtual charters.

[Ellie]

In California, some charter schools are campus based, where students attend daily. They are different from "regular" public schools--they could be performing arts, or science-emphasis, for example; I'd consider such a charter if I were allowing my dc to go to school.

 

The non-campus-based charter schools which were established for homeschoolers...no, I wouldn't do that. And I don't recommend it, either. They *are* causing problems for homeschoolers, especially in California where there is a truckload of the things. We'd have to sit down over lunch for me to have enough time to tell you what's been going on for the last almost-20 years.:tongue_smilie:

[angela in ohio]

As pp said, they are allowed in Ohio, both typical schools and virtual charters. There are many available in our area (well, not to us, we live over the border :001_smile:,) and only ONE is doing well. It also has a lottery system to get in this year, as the waiting list is long.

 

Like another pp said, most aren't working out the way they were intended. There are those few dedicated to kids (usually locally controlled,) but most are money making machines doing the least possible to make the most money possible, at least from what we see in Ohio.

[Carrie12345]

PA allows brick and mortar charter schools and cyber charter schools. We have multiple cybers available to us, but our only local b&m charter has a questionable record.

[Crimson Wife]

There are both brick & mortar charters and virtual charters in my area.

 

Like all government-run schools, the charters seem to be a mixed bag. Some are very good and others are lousy. I'm currently reading The Death and Life of the Great American School System by Diane Ravitch and there's an entire chapter devoted to charter schools. The data seem to indicate that about half of all charter schools have results that are about the same as traditional government-run schools. About 20% do significantly better than the traditional schools and the remainder do worse.

 

OTOH, many charter schools are designed to be schools of last resort so I'm not convinced it's a totally fair comparison. If these "at risk" students were not in the charter many of them would probably be dropouts. So the question for them is not: "is being at the charter better than being at the local traditional school?" but rather "is the charter better than dropping out of school entirely?"

[K&Rs Mom]

NC has charter schools, but they are brick and mortar schools that operate somewhat like a private school, but tuition-free.

 

Same in Michigan. My nephew went to one for K-3. Everyone I know who has had a child in one has loved it. Here it's worked out as a great alternative to PS if you happen to live in the right area and get in (most have long waiting lists or lottery systems), but it's still a PS type system, just run by another group (university or corporation).

[Guest rubilynne4]

In California, some charter schools are campus based, where students attend daily. They are different from "regular" public schools--they could be performing arts, or science-emphasis, for example; I'd consider such a charter if I were allowing my dc to go to school.

 

The non-campus-based charter schools which were established for homeschoolers...no, I wouldn't do that. And I don't recommend it, either. They *are* causing problems for homeschoolers, especially in California where there is a truckload of the things. We'd have to sit down over lunch for me to have enough time to tell you what's been going on for the last almost-20 years.:tongue_smilie:

i live in CA, and do use a charter, could you fill me in on what problems they are causing. i have been more and more under the impression that by high school i may end up pulling my dds out because of certain requirements i may not want to abide by. for now, it seems okay for me though. if you want to pm me that's fine. i know there are strong feelings by some hsers about this subject. i'm not looking to debate you, but i would like to know if i should be aware of something i may be missing.

[lisaj]

i live in CA, and do use a charter, could you fill me in on what problems they are causing. i have been more and more under the impression that by high school i may end up pulling my dds out because of certain requirements i may not want to abide by. for now, it seems okay for me though. if you want to pm me that's fine. i know there are strong feelings by some hsers about this subject. i'm not looking to debate you, but i would like to know if i should be aware of something i may be missing.

 

I would also love to know to what you're referring. We attend a California charter, and we thank God for it every day. My DS is profoundly gifted, and the regular classroom is not nearly enough for him. We have FABULOUS certified teachers (who came from a Blue Ribbon school), and they have provided everything we need, from the best curriculum to educational workshops and field trips, etc etc. There are several gifted children in ours, and it would be devastating if they didn't have this option.

[Margo out of lurking]

My dd attended a back-to-basics charter in Colorado for K and part of 1st until we began hsing. We moved to a different district, where she attended another charter school as a part-time/hs student, and the school also had a large number of kids who attended full time.

 

I loved the charter schools. They were terrific, far more dedicated parents/children overall, and the teachers responded to that. Colorado had a wide variety of charter schools serving many different needs. The schools my dd attended attracted families who were more involved in education, families with more time to devote to their children and the school, and the children received a very solid, well rounded education. (One was Core Knowledge based, the other was CK/WTM based.)

 

Based on our prior experiences, IF charter schools were a true reality in Virginia, I'd definitely consider a similar, back-to-basics/classical school way over and above a regular public school. Unfortunately, although charter schools became legal in VA in 1998, we have a grand total of two.

[Murmer]

No charter schools here in VT :( I actually feel that there is a place for charter schools in the educational world IF they are formed to offer something that the current public school can not. IE a technology charter, classical education charter, hands-on charter, performing arts charter. Sadly a lot of the charter schools I know about (in other states I have lived) have mostly been "I don't like the public school so lets do a charter" and I pretty much see that as sending their kid to another public school just with a different name and a little smaller.

Also many of the charter schools in other states I have lived in pay less and have less trained teachers than the public schools (although some have more dedicated staff because they truly believe in the charter)

[Photo Ninja]

I'm in CA, and yes, they are allowed. However, they are very difficult to open in my area. A charter school must be approved by the local school district, the county board of education, or by the state. The local school districts are completely against charter schools because they think they steal money from the public schools. The charter schools are public schools, too, but they don't like the loss of control over the school. The county pretty much agrees with the local school districts and won't approve a charter school, either. So, any charter schools in the area, and there are a few, have been approved by appealing to the state. So while they are allowed, they are very difficult to open and the school districts actively work to prevent them.

[HS Mom in NC]

We have tons of charter schools here in AZ. We also have a K-12 virtual (or cyber) charter school that is attended at home.

 

AZ law does not recognize virtual charter schools as a homeschooling option. It clearly differentiates the two. Some homeschoolers consider virtual charter schools in the home another version of homeschooling and other homeschoolers do not. Some homeschooling groups here are very serious about only allowing legally recognized homeschoolers as part of their groups. Some don't care. It's a contentious issue here.

 

As I recall, HSLDA has a study or two on test scores of children in virtual charter schools.

[Jenny in Atl]

We have a bunch here in the metro Atlanta area, with new ones popping up each year. My oldest will be attending one of the older ones this year, it's a dual magnet (science & performing arts).

[Renee in NC]

Same in Michigan. My nephew went to one for K-3. Everyone I know who has had a child in one has loved it. Here it's worked out as a great alternative to PS if you happen to live in the right area and get in (most have long waiting lists or lottery systems), but it's still a PS type system, just run by another group (university or corporation).

 

His is run by parents. The schools in that county aren't very good, so they started this school to avoid those schools. The waiting lists are terrible, but my ds has been there since the 5th grade (and he will be a senior this year.)

[Renee in NC]

No charter schools here in VT :( I actually feel that there is a place for charter schools in the educational world IF they are formed to offer something that the current public school can not. IE a technology charter, classical education charter, hands-on charter, performing arts charter. Sadly a lot of the charter schools I know about (in other states I have lived) have mostly been "I don't like the public school so lets do a charter" and I pretty much see that as sending their kid to another public school just with a different name and a little smaller.

Also many of the charter schools in other states I have lived in pay less and have less trained teachers than the public schools (although some have more dedicated staff because they truly believe in the charter)

 

The school my ds goes to isn't "special" in the sense that it offers technology or arts. It's a much better school academically, and their 90%+ college placement rate and well above-average SAT scores support that. The teachers are not certified (for the most part) but they have degrees (and many advanced degrees) in the subjects they teach. The charter school has more options for getting rid of bad teachers (which they have) and have more flexibility for getting rid of bad students. A few years ago, there was a student that got into several fights in the first few months of school. They were able to expel the student and not allow him to return.

 

OTOH, when I wanted my other dc to go to school there a couple of years ago, they didn't really have resources to deal with my special needs son. They can provide OT and ST, maybe a little extra help, but anything more they just didn't have the resources to deal with.

[Heather in Neverland]

Same in Michigan. My nephew went to one for K-3. Everyone I know who has had a child in one has loved it. Here it's worked out as a great alternative to PS if you happen to live in the right area and get in (most have long waiting lists or lottery systems), but it's still a PS type system, just run by another group (university or corporation).

 

This is my experience as well. Most of the charters in Michigan are quite good. The ones in or near Detroit though, at least most of them, tend to be pretty bad. The schools associated with the National Heritage Academies in Michigan tend to be some of the best.

[Wendi]

I live in AZ, and charter schools seem to be flourishing.

 

Wendi

[Stacy in NJ]

Charters in NJ receive 2/3 (two-thirds) the funding level of their ps counterparts; the remaining 1/3 goes to the local ps.

 

Most charters in NJ are located in high povety areas like Newark and Trenton. Many of them are actually doing a wonderful job educating disadvanted kids with lower levels of funding but higher test scores. Twelve new charters will open in NJ in September. Our current governor (Christie) and commissioner of education (Bret Schundler) are aggressive proponets of charters and are fighting the teachers' unions tooth and nail.

 

President Obama's Race to the Top program encourages charters as well as performance based pay for teaches, rather than seniority based pay.

 

I'm a huge supporter of educational choice in almost all its forms.:D

[KarenC]

Generally, I think that the more options there are available, the better off everyone is. The larger cities here do have a fair number of options, but the smaller cities and rural areas have very few choices.

 

Karen

[fhjmom]

I my area alone (suburb of D/FW) there are quite a few charter schools and everyone onf them is as different as night-and-day.

 

One is a high-school only, drop-out-alternative type school with flexible scheduling and the goal seems to be to get kids a diploma that would otherwise not finish high-school.

 

One is run by a near by city (here school districts and cities are totally independent entities so this is unusual). It has the air of a private, prestigous prep-school and there is a wait list to get in. If you live in the city that runs it you have admission priority and if your child is accepted, I believe you don't have to pay. Students from other cities are accepted if there is room and I think they have to pay some sort of tution. The first year it opened I remember the newspaper stories about the lottery and ow many students they had apply for so few spots. It was crazy!

 

There is one that is a bi-lingual/bi-cultural Deaf school founded by members of the Deaf community that wanted a local alternative to the state school for the Deaf in Austin (several hours away). It is open to hearing students, too and classes are taught both in spoken English and ASL. In theory, I think it is a good concept, but they recently had their charter taken away for performance and financial issues. They are reopening in the fall on appeal, but it sounds like they have a lot that needs to be addressed.

 

I got a card in the mail not long ago about a new charter opening that sounded like a science & technology magnet program for elementary.

 

Then we also have "virtual school" through K-12 available through the state.

 

I think educational choice is good. Competition drives improvement. If the local school districts don't like the charters taking their students (and their money), then my suggestion would be for the local schools to start addressing the gaps that have allowed the charters to flourish. Whether my students ever go back to public school or not, we all benefit from a better public education system because it means that the students that are still in public school are getting more of what they need.

[TravelingChris]

There were charter schools in Florida. THere are charter schools in DC. Where I live now, there are no charter schools and the school districts are fighting to keep them out. THey think that since the school districts here (and especially in Fairfax County) is so highly rated, there is no need for a charter school. I disagree. I think it always helps to have competition. So having a charter that did Montessori or classical education or language immersion or whatever flavor you want would be a helpful addition.

[Guest Cheryl in SoCal]

In California, some charter schools are campus based, where students attend daily. They are different from "regular" public schools--they could be performing arts, or science-emphasis, for example; I'd consider such a charter if I were allowing my dc to go to school.

 

The non-campus-based charter schools which were established for homeschoolers...no, I wouldn't do that. And I don't recommend it, either. They *are* causing problems for homeschoolers, especially in California where there is a truckload of the things. We'd have to sit down over lunch for me to have enough time to tell you what's been going on for the last almost-20 years.:tongue_smilie:

:iagree::iagree::iagree:

[Momto5]

I live in Minnesota and my 3 youngest children go to a charter school based on The Well Trained Mind. The school has some of the highest test scores in the state. We love the school. It has a real sense of community and my children are very happy there. There is a waiting list for every grade (K - 10) with the waiting list for K being about 180 kids. The great thing is that kids do not test in - it is a blind lottery (there is sibling preference).

 

Like public and private schools, there are good charter schools and not so good charter schools.