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Charter Schools vs.Traditional Public Schools

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Submitted By skyycole
Words 1257
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Charter Schools and Traditional public schools both have a profound effect on our students in many different ways but charter schools have much more of an effective way to get our Children not only through school but also through college. A large sum of students that have attended Charter schools have gone on to college receiving a 3.0 or higher. The Impact that education in Charter schools that have a college prep program is much more effective in student success than Public school education.

Charter schools are publicly funded institutions that operate under their own standards of conduct and curriculum. Although these institutions are funded by tax dollars, charter schools are ultimately given the freedom to establish their own methods of operation, similar to how private schools are able to operate their instructional and social practices. Various studies and statistics reveals that students who come from lower-income families or students that are English language learners revealed higher success and performance rates in charter schools than in public school. According to the DC fiscal policy institute, the median proficiency level at the 43 charter schools studied rose from 44.2 to 50.2 percent from 2008 to 2012, while it fell from 40.4 to 36.7 percent at the 109 public schools. Charter schools serving low-income children are outperforming comparable traditional schools at many charter schools. Public schools are funded with tax revenues from federal, state, and local government. Each school has geographic boundaries for attendance, and children are assigned to a public school depending on where they live.

President Obama has declared his strong support for charter school investments. In fact, President Obama has even allocated a large sum of Stimulus Money toward the enhancement of charter schools across the country. He believed that charter schools have a tremendous effect on our youth. If any charter school is mismanaged or test scores are poor, a charter school can be shut down, so it is important for the kids to have high test scores. Most charter schools have smaller classes and higher academic standards than traditional public schools. A charter school is accountable to a state or local school board, as well as to its sponsoring group. Public schools are larger and also have larger class sizes. Public schools also have larger student-teacher ratios. According to a web site called Public School Review, "Charter schools average 13 students per teacher, compared with an average of 20 students per teacher in public schools" (publicschoolreview). At Public schools, both gifted students and struggling students may be lost in the shuffle. Public Schools have little school choice; most students must attend their zoned school which is not always best for the child especially if all the schools in that zone have a bad reputation. Charter schools and public schools both can provide bus transportation for the child if needed.

Public schools are reliant on federal, state, and local tax dollars, funding can be cut. Public schools have to follow state guidelines on what they can teach and how children are evaluated. Public schools are funded by the government, providing a zero-cost tuition. No matter your economic standing, everyone has the right to a free public education. However, this also can be a disadvantage. Government funding is dependent on the taxes paid in the schools surrounding community, meaning that all public schools are not created equal. Suburban areas tend to spend more on education, while rural and urban areas tend to fall behind. This in turn affects music programs, sports and extra-curricular activities causing these programs to be cut altogether in areas where funding is low. Charter schools funding comes from school attendance as long as enough students are enrolled, they will not have to cut any funding for other activities.

Some people take comfort in the fact that public schools use a standardized curriculum that's reviewed and set at the government level. Others prefer more local control. You may feel that the people who chose public school curriculum cannot understand your child's interests and needs. Public school teachers are less able to choose their own materials and have less flexibility in methods and pacing as they teach than their private and charter school counterparts. With charter schools if the curriculum that is taught to the student do not work for them another curriculum can be put in place. Charter schools usually have a special curriculum in fields such as the arts, technology, and mathematics, and they provide a better education than what is provided for by public schools. As such, many students vie for a spot in a charter school. Charter Schools still require students to study English, math, science, social science and a foreign language, but the elective courses that they take are tailored to fit their interests and Future Career paths.

Charter schools offer an institutional hybrid. Like traditional public schools, charter schools are free, and they can’t discriminate against students because of their race, gender, or disability. However, parents must usually submit a separate application to enroll a child in a charter school, and like private schools, spaces are often limited. Charter schools are independently run, and some are operated by for-profit private companies.

Charter school groups often describe their efforts as a movement, a reaction to poorly run public schools. Rates of violence and drop-outs are higher in public schools than private and Charter schools. Obviously, some public schools are significantly better than others, but all are open to everyone, including children with behavioral problems. Parents have no obligation to be involved, unlike in some private schools, where parental participation is mandatory. Public schools may also face more restrictive laws concerning how they discipline their students and enforce order. Charter schools are strict when it comes to discipline. Charter schools have a zero tolerance policy, which is why many to all are required to wear uniforms. Charter schools have the ability to hold their students to higher standard, and consistently and fairly enforce rules and consequences. Because the students know exactly what is expected of them, they follow rules, respond to boundaries, ultimately allowing them to achieve at higher levels because all they have to do is focus on achieving.

Many Charter Schools were founded by groups of committed parents or community leaders who wanted a larger role in shaping the quality of their schools. Parental involvement is often more than encouraged, it is expected when attending Charter college prep schools. Many charter schools begin each year by asking parents to sign an agreement to support the school and their child's learning, including a pledge to contribute a certain number of volunteer hours. Charter schools improve education by giving parents more choices and offering students more creative approaches to learning. Charter schools are generally granted more flexibility than regular schools which means charters can develop more innovative programs. They are accountable to their authorizers for results but are free to try different ways of helping students achieve at higher levels.

Charter school and Public schools have similarities and differences but they both have a similar interest and that is teaching our children. There is more supporting evidence suggesting that Charter schools are more effective in magnifying our children chances of graduating school and attending a well-respected university. Public schools is not a bad choice in some circumstances when the school chosen has high ratings in student achievement and success. They both give our child a good start at success .The Choice is ours.

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