| According the the California Charter Schools | | | | APIs below 500, as there are many traditional |
| Association, there are close to 750 charter | | | | schools. There is no clear predictor of success, be |
| schools serving over 250,000 students in California | | | | it charter or school size, although magnet schools |
| alone. The number of charters has grown by | | | | do have a higher success rate than schools in |
| about 50 per year over the past 10 years. Claims | | | | other categories. |
| of superior student achievement, more funds | | | | Analysis |
| plowed into classroom resources, and higher levels | | | | Charter schools are not allowed to discriminate on |
| of parent satisfaction easily explain the growth. | | | | the basis of ethnicity, income level, or academic |
| Legislators, governors, philanthropists, and both | | | | level with regard to admission. Charter schools |
| President Bush and President-elect Barack Obama | | | | with more applicants than space use a lottery |
| see charters as the solution to massive | | | | system, much like magnet schools do, to provide |
| educational malaise in this country. But if the | | | | equal opportunity for admission. Charters, like |
| charter school movement takes hold, it will | | | | traditional and magnet schools, require that all |
| dismantle public education as we know it. | | | | teachers be credentialed in the subject they |
| What is a Charter School? | | | | teach. |
| Simply stated, a charter is an application to a | | | | Although Charter schools may not discriminate, in |
| state to create and manage an alternative school. | | | | fact, charter students have the advantage of |
| If the charter is granted, the school is given state | | | | parents who are able to meet the 35-hour |
| moneys to operate, and it must demonstrate | | | | volunteer requirement, and who advocate for |
| accountability in finances, management, and | | | | them in other ways. Charters can and generally |
| student learning in order to retain its charter. | | | | do cap class sizes at lower levels than traditional |
| Although a charter school is held to certain legal | | | | schools. Charters generally benefit from mass |
| standards that apply to all public schools, it can be | | | | infusions of capital from philanthropists which |
| unique in its educational philosophy or management | | | | afford such luxuries as a computer for every |
| strategies. | | | | student. Charters are increasingly being run by |
| History | | | | CMOs--Charter Management Organizations--that |
| The charter school began with the idea of | | | | specialize in efficiency and economy. |
| simplifying the district's organizational structure to | | | | How Charters Affect Traditional Public Schools |
| a relationship between teachers of a school and | | | | Charters cite higher test scores and better |
| their local school board. Ray Budde's idea was | | | | graduation rates, but this can be attributed to |
| lifted into public discussion in 1986 when Albert | | | | several factors: higher levels of motivation in both |
| Shanker, then head of the AFT, mentioned it in a | | | | students and parents, smaller class sizes, more |
| speech at the National Press Club. Minnesota | | | | resources for students, and state of the art |
| passed the first charter school law in 1991. Similar | | | | management practices employed by CMOs. For |
| laws have been adopted in 40 states, which | | | | each student leaving traditional public school, the |
| permit charters to pursue outside funding, but are | | | | money allocated by the state follows them to |
| restricted from charging tuition or hand-picking | | | | their destination. |
| students. Unencumbered by local district | | | | Charter school teachers' pay may be competitive |
| requirements, charter holders claim they can | | | | with local district teachers' pay, but their benefits |
| employ best management practices to improve | | | | lag behind those protected by the local district. As |
| student outcomes. The results have been mixed. | | | | more non-union charters spring up, hiring generally |
| Under No Child Left Behind, all schools face the | | | | younger teachers, the unions' bargaining powers |
| challenge of meeting yearly targets. In California, | | | | are weakened, and gradually those hard-won |
| for example, the API (Academic Performance | | | | health care and retirement benefits are eroded. |
| Index) rates each school by averaging student | | | | Conclusions |
| scores on annual standardized tests (STAR) and | | | | The past 20 years public institutions have seen a |
| the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE). | | | | trend in privatization of public institutions, such as |
| API scores range between 200 and 1000; the | | | | prisons, hospitals and even military operations, |
| statewide target is 800. The STAR determines | | | | often with mixed results. Public education has |
| whether students are proficient or advanced in | | | | been viewed as a democratic ideal that promotes |
| each of the major content areas. All 50 states | | | | liberty and justice, equal opportunity for all. Before |
| have implemented similar accountability measures. | | | | we allow it to be dismantled, we should carefully |
| Mixed Results | | | | consider the consequences. When the public drains |
| Out of the 110 high schools listed on the California | | | | public schools by bringing their energies to private |
| Department of Education API list of schools, eight | | | | and charter schools, resourcefulness is required to |
| of them scored above 800. Four of those are | | | | reinvent those abandoned students and crumbling |
| magnet schools, and four of them are charter | | | | school sites. |
| schools. There are many charter schools with | | | | |