Why Charter Schools Make Americans So Angry

Advocates for charter schools say they offer families educational alternatives to failing public schools without the worry of private school tuition. But opponents argue they harm traditional public schools by siphoning money from the district, causing superintendents to make difficult budget choices like cutting art classes or reducing one-on-one teaching.
A charter school is a publicly funded school that is established by a private group. The group creates a contract with the state and local government, which lays out specific accountability requirements. The government has the ability to shut the school down if it doesn't meet those standards. What's more, these schools are exempt from certain state laws and regulations that traditional public schools must follow, but they are expected to meet educational standards.
KIPP, which stands for the "Knowledge Is Power Program," is the largest charter management organization in the U.S., according to the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools.
Nearly 3,000 students attend KIPP schools in Philadelphia. Admission is determined through a lottery system, with 97% of the students identifying as Black or African American and 76% qualifying for free or reduced lunch.
At the organizational level, though, critics say charter schools harm the wider public school district, due to funding and transparency concerns.
"I'm opposed to publicly funded charter schools that are run privately," said Joseph Roy, superintendent of schools at the school district in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. "Don't tell me you're a public school if you're not governed by the public."
When a child leaves a district-run public school, the tax dollars follow that student to the charter school. Opponents of charter schools say even though the student is leaving the school, it doesn't reduce the traditional public school's costs.
"What winds up happening is there is a downward spiral because as the money goes out with kids, the services the district can provide become less and less," said Carol Burris, executive director of the Network for Public Education, an advocacy group that is outspoken against charter schools. "So more parents leave for charter schools. And it puts some districts in critical places where they're really not able to service the kids that they have."
Watch the video above to find out why charter schools have become such a contentious issue in the U.S.
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Why Charter Schools Make Americans So Angry

[@mamadragonful]

We need to acknowledge that not all kids are best served in the same educational environment. Trying to standardize everything is cheaper, but it will invariably exclude some students who simply can't learn in that environment. No school environment can serve ALL students.

[@Loveroffood41]

I could not have said it better myself. As an individual who has a learning disability it is very hard to do the normal school system.

[@LivingDead53]

I went to a competitive HS with a learning disability. I won't get into exactly what it was. My mom wanted to send me with my stepdad to a school based in a farming/rural place so that I wouldn't end up in Hell due to my high school's demeanor... My real dad screwed this up and had custody thousands of miles away and made me go to the district school known for academics and rigor. Anyway, what I don't understand is why we don't have schools for the gifted, schools for those going into trades, or those who have learning and psychological issues. Of course, I was brutally shutdown and tormented mentally while I was at Kickapoo. It's like, I'm not doing so hot guys, not that they cared. They have the ability to split us into different schools. The buildings are there. A lot of disabled are not integrated into the community, so don't use the excuse of socializing. We're targets and toys. We are looked down upon, and teachers think we're bringing everyone else down and ignore us.

[@user-nc9pc3gr4c]

The problem is that you cannot fix IQ and horrible parents. That is the fundamental problem. What you can do is separate the up half IQ kids from the criminal elements and give them a chance. That is what needs to be done in the cities so we can at least help those that can be helped

[@drewh3224]

Talk about Philly, it is the culture of corruption stands up!!

[@nicholasbrooks7349]

Private schools.

[@kself8879]

Like public schools, not all charter schools are created equal. Before deciding to send your child to either, it is best to visit the principal and teacher(s) your child will have, to see the classroom(s), and to look at the publicly available performance data. This costs nothing but time, and helps us make informed decisions as parents.

[@jnf6859]

Very wise advice!

[@and6sdf]

That's true. My local "STEM" charter only rate C. Glade I found out before I send my kid in.

[@Mahbu]

Very smart and unfortunately very necessary. It shouldn't have to be this way, though. If schools were sufficiently funded and supported, we'd not have to treat them like buying used cars.

[@9tmen]

Your position is not considering the reality for many inner-city families, many cases there is no alternative. Meeting with the administration may calm concerns, but at the end of the day, you are federally mandated to have your student in school, and depending on where you live, you may have very little or no options on where your student goes or even input on what your student will learn, or the experiences your child will have. Just because a school has a good pr team and uniform does not mean they will have competent or compassionate administrators.

[@bigtxbullion]

💯👍

[@MPR2]

I LOVED my child's Charter school, it allowed her to excel at her own pace. I taught her to read before she entered kindergarten, she was already reading chapter books by then. The public school didn't know what to do with her because she was so advanced. I switched her to the local Charter school which was Montessori-based and they immediately created a special curriculum just for my child which allowed her to continue to excel (even received recognition from then President W Bush for excellence) and she went on to graduate high school a whole year early!

[@cbbcbb6803]

What happened to kids (children) that didn't have you as a parent? Do you care?

[@MPR2]

@@cbbcbb6803 Of course, that's why I shared my story in my post! ANY parent can do the SAME thing I did! Parents MUST take responsibility for their children's education, thankfully for my child we had an AMAZING Charter school alternative! I support Charter schools and choice! What? You expected me to leave my child at the traditional school when they didn't know what to do with her??? 🙄

[@shaylataylor9525]

@@cbbcbb6803 Do you care about hers? Every parent’s priority is their child. Everyone else is secondary.

[@MPR2]

@@shaylataylor9525 Amen sister, thank you! 💯

[@markcuban9936]

I attended a magnet school, which shares some similarities with charters, but it was probably the best decision I’ve ever made. I had attended Elementary school and some high school courses at a traditional public school, but the quality of education was so diminished due to the teachers struggling to maintain control over the class, let alone teach the curriculum. I empathize with the kids that don’t receive the same opportunity as I did, but the educational environment is so much more beneficial when your peers are there to learn, rather than being there just because they are forced. m

[@madbug1965]

Charter schools can pick and choose their students. Charter schools can also kick students out unlike public schools that have to take everyone.

[@mht5875]

Schools really do need to be for serious students only.

[@lmshanyfelt]

That wasn't true for the charter schools in my district when we applied. They were all straight lotteries. Families who needed better school options had to apply then cross their fingers. It is true that as a school of choice, the schools could kick students out, typically for behavioral problems. However, that is also true for all other schools of choice, including those managed by the school district. Those include academy programs in high schools, magnet schools, fundamental schools, county virtual schools, etc.

[@stage6fan475]

I was under impression Charter Schools didn't deal with special education students--those with extra needs.

[@RockyColaFizz]

That is simply not true. Every state charter school law and federal law make this illegal. Please stop repeating that falsehood.

[@muzikizfun]

This is the biggest lie that those people against choice in education make. Charter schools ARE public schools run by nondistrict administrations. Nearly all charter schools have to follow state laws which forbid this practice. The Charter schools I help govern has several thousand students enrolled through open enrollment, first come, first serve. You do take a placement test but the results do not stop your enrollment, only determines which class room the student will be in.

[@paulamcintosh2934]

I chose a charter school for my daughter many years ago. She is dyslexic and the public school refused to do any testing or accommodating until she was failing. She was able to maintain her grades by working harder yet her reading level was several grades below. The charter school jumped right in and started working with her and raised her reading level 3 grade levels in one semester to get her on level! They worked with individual students to teach them however that child learned. I will forever be grateful. My daughter is now a senior in college and graduated high school on the Honor Society and was able to earn academic scholarships with her ACT scores. This would never have happened without Cumberland Academy in Tyler, TX!

[@kendallbedford2523]

Oh that school is top notch. Don't they have a sister campus?

[@andreasanchez1453]

I live in Texas and I’m currently studying education at my local Texas State university. That school is going on my list of possible schools I’d love to teach at one day.

[@dogisgreat1]

Hi Paula, Sadly your little anecdote does not amount to evidence. The data is in, and it doesn't look good for charter schools. This was another failed neo-liberal bipartisan Republican-Democrat experiment on the lives of underprivleged children. The US is a mess, and charter schools are a sad remnant of the Bush_Obama attack on public education. What a sad third world country the US has become!

[@christinenguyen8528]

I love Tyler, TX!

[@susan825]

The fact that there is a waiting list at every Charter School in my area (Southern California), is a sign that parents are looking for other options. Perhaps if the Public School systems were offering what was wanted on a more consistent basis throughout school districts, parents wouldn't be trying to get their children out of public schools. (Side note, a friend of mine moved from Canada. She said moving to an area to get your kid into a 'good' public school wasn't a thing there. Perhaps we need to take note of other countries public school set up.)

[@Leo-sp3ij]

I completely agree with you.

[@qjtvaddict]

They are tired of politics in schools.

[@beaus3911]

Know a school called fusion academy a one to one school

[@nocreativenameideas668]

The public school system is underfunded, intentionally, so people will send their kids elsewhere. We should be properly funding these public schools, but instead we keep funding the military.

[@susan825]

@@beaus3911 I could be wrong but I believe that Fusion is not free like Charter Schools or Public Schools. I am under the impression that, while yes you can get the benefit of 1 on 1 teaching, you have to pay per class and the instructors aren't held to the same standards of education as public school teachers/Charter School teachers.

[@anneliesececi418]

I taught special education in a district public school. We frequently had to take students from the local Charter School because they had a policy of "full inclusion"- they did not provide special education services outside the child's general education classroom. The irony of a full-inclusion policy is that parents of students who are significantly impacted by their disability are often told their child's needs are better met in the district. That is an example of exclusion, not inclusion, and skews the demographics of each population.

[@DagamonEx]

This! Exactly!! Thank you for articulating that so clearly.

[@lorrainemcfarland621]

This happens at my school. The nearby private school sent us the students they didn't want (mostly severe behaviors). We take any student who comes through the door.

[@John_Smith_86]

Yup. We can still reserve some traditional public schools to warehouse those disruptive or gang affiliates to avoid reducing the education experience for the majority.

[@vylbird8014]

Same thing's been happening in the UK for decades, part of the reason that grammar schools are generally unpopular with the public. They only accept the best-performing students. Anyone who has disabilities that impact their academic performance, or behavoral issues, or are just not that bright, they will fob off on the regular schools who have no choice but to take them. Unsurprisingly the grammar schools tend to get better grades.

[@John_Smith_86]

​@@Jojokicksass2 Seems that the charter schools expels them. No, they may still be savable. But rather unlikely for some cases, unless massive resources are poured in.

[@DagamonEx]

See, nobody addressed the lottery system though. They also did not mention what happens when students misbehave in a charter school like Kipp, or if they accommodate special needs students. It's a lot easier to succeed when you don't have to accept every child. Even if they do a random lottery, the act of asking parents to complete the application is enough of a barrier to make the difference. As a public school teacher, I see kids who are parent less, homeless, special needs, and some who are just plain assholes, and I teach every one of them. When a charter school can say they meet this standard THEN they can claim to be public schools, until then they are basically taxpayer funded private schools.

[@dfpolitowski2]

I was one of those special needs and you can't group people like me in with the normal healthy population. Nor any kid with difficulties, they need to be on their own learning track suited to them. We need to learn at our own pace, subjects we enjoy. The trouble makers of which I was not a part of, will destroy the learning environment. Charter Schools are doing it right.

[@DagamonEx]

@@dfpolitowski2 I'm certain I did not group special Ed and "troublemakers" together, I specifically seperate those two groups. But they do share a common ground, more work for teachers to make said learning plans at their own pace or create behavior plans, while also keeping the general student population at grade level proficiency. Charter schools only have good results because they have good conditions the get to choose what they do. We can have public schools with the same Autonomy that would serve all students. Parents are just too lazy to demand it from their representatives.

[@mamadragonful]

If it's taxpayer funded, it's a public school. It's annoying and dishonest for a school to cherry pick the easiest students and then claim that makes me them more skilled educators. But there's nothing wrong with creating systems that track kids into groupings where their needs can be met. Homeless and traumatized kids are fantastic and I love teaching them. But they need lower ratios and modified educational tactics. Much of standard schooling assumes kids are well fed, secure, and have homework help at home. It's unreasonable to expect a homeless kid to succeed academically under those terms. It's an unfair setup, and leaves the kid feeling like a failure.

[@ktay2124]

It has been my experience that students with academic barriers usually leave the public school to go to the charter school here. A good half make it until Christmas. Of the half that stay, at least another 10th will make it the whole year and then return to public school. I have no problems with charter schools, but they should be required to provide the same academic services as the public school and they should not be able to nicely put a child out who is not performing.

[@jamiefairbanks6729]

@@ktay2124 to say that they should provide the same services you need to address money discrepancies. If you expect them to be the same then provide them the same amount of money. The small charter I work for is funded at $2,000+ less per student than traditional public schools. Charter schools don’t provide extra services because they can’t afford them. If our school was funded at the same rate that would mean an extra $2,000,000. If we could provide better services we would. I would love to hear a traditional public school teacher or any charter school for that matter talk about this using both sides of the coin. The only person who I have ever seen fairly asses charter schools is Thomas Sowell.

[@elizhopp]

If public schools want to compete with charter schools, it's time to open more magnet programs, lower ratios and hold students and parents accountable for misbehavior. And bring back gym class everyday and recess! No amount of test cramming is going to get kids to pass standardized tests if they are restless. This won't happen though. The system will have to fail completely before the attention and resources are given to fix it.

[@susandevine3907]

Well said!

[@dogisgreat1]

It's so interesting that public institutions are expected to compete with private institutions, but we will never be allowed to have a public institution designed to compete against the private sector (no public option in health care, no public housing open to the general public regardless of income, et. al.) The American people are sick undereducated fat idiots. What a sad state of affairs for the country that was once the envy of the developed world!

[@OldenPolyNate]

Or pay public school teachers a livable wage. They wonder why there is a shortage. Who wants to be a teacher making 30-40k/year these days?

[@briannastultz1468]

Everything you said requires money and education in this country is a joke as states don’t care and they don’t properly fund education. Charter schools get different funding sources than district schools.

[@sungazing2501]

If we're lowering ratios than we better be raising teacher's wages too. Ratios are in place to protect teachers! They already deal with enough kids as it is, it doesn't matter how "saintly" teachers are, they are under pressure dealing with one of the most stress inducing jobs, more kids is not the answer unless we are paying them a lot more in turn.

[@abaoaqu1333]

Unfortunately the other reason parents move kids out of public school is the poor environment that exist in these schools, especially throughout philadelphia. Even if the education statistically is worse, giving your kid a chance to potentially be around better kids and not some of these prison pipeline schools is worth it.

[@realityobserver7521]

Couldn't agree more. The environment is JUST AS important as the curriculum

[@letsdoodlesomethinghome3404]

In New Zealand, private/charter schools are called independent schools. But public schools are still great (I went to 2 public schools before going to an independent school) I have to say, independent schools do teach you more and in a more ‘efficient’ fashion but the atmosphere, the.. idk.. just school vibe in general, it’s different and I’d say worse than public schools. I feel like there’s more competition between students and everyone trying get high grades. There is good, but I’m just highlighting the bad. In public schools people are definitely more friendlier, kind and social. More chill and not worrying too much (can be a good and bad thing).

[@Rollothemodel]

Exactly.. Those pubs in Philly are no good. Sadly you're doomed enrolling in one.

[@WonderfulLidoff]

Exactly, it’s not the schools. It’s the students that decides whether the school is good or not. If you have everyone in the school academically driven, that school is gonna be the best of the best.

[@abaoaqu1333]

@@WonderfulLidoff yup, and people can dance around it all they want but unfortunately when you are in poorer communities the schools tend to be that way. The Democrat issue is that they want bright kids to remain in those school but you are effectively sacrificing these kids for this idealistic notion that the schools over time will get better with these bright kids. Most parents with high achieving kids don't want to sacrifice their kids to this goal.

[@mascatrails661]

Summary, you can't throw all charter schools into the same bucket. Some are really trying to make a difference for the kids, others are applying cut-throat business techniques to systematically pocket public money.

[@Alex-eb6je]

Dang right! My charter school looks after students way better than at a regular school. There is no tolerance for bullying, and the teachers are really good at teaching.

[@EmaLinde]

I went to a charter school for high school. I always found school easy, so I was able to finish classes much faster, and enroll in my local community college at about 14. When most of my peers were graduating from high school, I was graduating with my associates degree - which was also free since I was under 18 and classified as an "enrichment student". Definitely couldn't have done that at a traditional/public school!

[@jazzeeq]

They have that option at traditional public schools too.

[@EmaLinde]

@@jazzeeq the public school district I was in didn't have that option, but I'm glad to hear it is an option for other public school districts!

[@FunDownSouth]

I graduated with my associates the same year I graduated at my public high school

[@LittleRadicalThinker]

It sounds like it’s just you are doing well in school. The environment in the traditional school setting is quite terrible even toxic to most students.

[@JadeVic]

Public schools offer that too?

[@justine.c]

I noticed that there is no one turning the mirror to themselves to ask "Why are families leaving my district to seek another option. How did we fail this student". There seems to be a neglect of how charters are audited MORE than than most traditional public schools or the higher level of transparency they must provide. Seems that those interviewed need to learn more before opposing them. I giggled when the gentleman mentioned corruption....really? Charter schools are shut down a lot faster than other public schools if they fail to meet their charter while other schools have improvement plans extended repeatedly. There's more to this story than what is portrayed.

[@christaw3246]

That is an adult question and people don't like those.

[@palmtreesandmoonbeams]

You are SO confused. Charter schools are not held to the same standards or testing that public schools are...oh & let's not forget when these corporate attempts at education skips out in the middle of the night & students show up to closed doors. Scammers. It is 100% your choice if you want your child to go to a corporate school- we always need worker bees

[@justine.c]

No my darling "profile" bot. You are so confused. Each state and school is different and in PA, where the gentleman is from, they must follow state standards, state testing, student artifacts, etc. Charter schools, magnet schools, brick and mortar schools, private schools are all subject to the same scrutiny, mismansged money, success, failure, or corruption. Interesting that your reply is highlighted, but can't be responded to.

[@gdiaz8827]

Have you considered that it's harder to close public schools not because the schools are better but because of political pressure coming from the unions who often do not have the best interests of the children in mind. The unions are also tools of the democratic party and force teachers to indoctrinate students with social agendas that have nothing to do with real education

[@justine.c]

@@gdiaz8827 It's possible for these schools to crumble too, they have. It's sad because the students and communities are hurt when this happens. I'm not a big fan of unions, but they are not the reason the schools are upheld. They just protect the less than great educators at the same rate they support the good ones.

[@chickenfishhybrid44]

Charter schools will go away, all you have to do is make standard public schools perform. If people were satisfied with what they were getting they wouldn't be looking for alternatives. It's not as simple as funding either, overall we spend the same amount and usually MORE per student on education than any other country and get worse outcomes.

[@lmshanyfelt]

100% this. Our son attended a charter school when we were rezoned to a failing school. It was in the 1st percentile of schools in our state. Who would send their children there if they have an option? If we hadn't had access to a decent charter school, we'd have probably moved to a better school zone. To get rid of charter schools, traditional schools have to be better in all neighborhoods. We now live in a great school zone and no longer use a charter school.

[@notyourtypicalcomment2399]

Because all the teachers do is indulge themselves with talking about their interest and evade academic lessons as much as they can

[@tubester4567]

@@notyourtypicalcomment2399 Right. Education is more about woke agendas than learning. I just watched a video about a man asking kids general knowledge questions at a high school graduation. The kids were so clueless its scary.

[@rushopolis]

There's definitely a problem with who's budgeting the money.

[@LittleRadicalThinker]

This is simply the typical useless comment. If you can make public school perform, you don’t have private school, not to mention the controversial charter school.

[@jordanalexander4331]

I went to a charter school and graduated, honestly it was the best decision My parents could have made; the public system was not serving me well and I wanted to change it as well as my parents. It offered us a different option rather than paying thousands of dollars to attend an elite private school; the love I felt, the care I felt, and finally not being bullied was a breath of fresh air. It depends on how the schools run and he was running the school, everyone on the board had a background in K-12 education some in fact were former school district superintendents and had a rigorous college preparatory education in the high school and set very high standards for all students to do well academically and outperformed the chartering district and districts that the school served. People aren’t talking about how corruption can influence school board decisions, that traditional public schools are simply passing a long students and not applying standards and or helping all students succeed. I fully support school choice and parents and students have the right to educate themselves wherever they best see fit.

[@cbbcbb6803]

What happened to kids (children) that didn't have your parents? Do you care?

[@prettypuffprincess]

@@cbbcbb6803 Why can’t a person tell their PERSONAL STORIES without someone asking do they care about others? DO YOU CARE SMH! I live in the suburbs and the education here is just like a private schools because our tax dollars pay for it so there is no need to pay upfront!

[@jordanalexander4331]

@@cbbcbb6803 my parents felt that the school district that I lived in was not providing me and my siblings a high quality or at least quality education, decent and or average wasn’t enough for them. And parents should do their research.

[@etownzu]

@@cbbcbb6803 they don't care because THEY succeeded and therefore it must obviously be a good thing. What this person fails to do is analyze WHY this was a "favorable" outcome compared to public schools. Was it a funding issues (what income bracket was the school funded by/ serving), was it a qualification issue (under qualified teachers), was it an issue where those at the top don't care about the outcomes from that one building. Anytime we create a separate "privatized" system in place of the public one all we are doing is undermining that public one for those who aren't privileged enough (in some cases read White-enough) to get into those charter schools. There's a reason why the best early education and primary schools are in countries that ONLY have public schools. Some going as far as to completely ban the practice of private schooling (aside from basic things like tutors).

[@lindsayann7756]

I went to a charter middle school, it was in a lower income area. Many kids that were in their neighborhood and didn’t go to the charter school but went to the public school didn’t go on to graduate hs, versus the lower income students that went to the charter school, funded in partial by wealthier middle class families (parents could volunteer time or pay to subsidize) this kids from what I can see on social media are in a far better place than they otherwise would’ve been in. The charter school went bankrupt a few years ago after the founder stepped down- it was really sad because the model seemed to work for quite a while.

[@kokokyoushi]

In Massachusetts, charter schools were "sold" to us on the premise that they would be centers for testing innovative teaching techniques, the successful ones of which would be incorporates into the rest of the public schools. Charter schools here were approved and came into existence in 1993. NONE of that has yet happened. In 20 years as an educator during that time, I never saw a single thing come from charter schools to other schools. All they do is drain funds and pupils from general public schools.

[@dogguy8603]

Sounds like the public schools need to step up and be better schools, you won't be losing students to charters if public schools weren't terrible.

[@kokokyoushi]

@dogguy8603 The problem is parents who do not value education, respect educators, and do not teach their kids manners, respect, the importance of preparing for adult/work life, common curtesy, or most anything else that would make them want to be productive members of society. I found that kids would not learn, not that they couldn't. The parents who send their kids to charter schools are those who, for the most part, are parenting propetly.

[@brandonhunter3036]

This was educational. What I learned is that we invest far too little into the education of our youth and our educators as a nation.

[@willybeama1]

Most folk already know this; they just don’t care.

[@amythomspon956]

The us invest the most per student it just goes to unions and pension

[@willybeama1]

@@amythomspon956 I disagree. I’m a teacher and have worked at both charter and public schools. Right now I’m at a public charter. What I can definitely say is that when a union isn’t in place, teachers don’t get paid as professionals should. When teachers aren’t paid properly, they leave. If you want teachers, then pay them; just like any other job.

[@AtarahDerek]

No we don't. We throw TONS of money at "education," and an enormous percentage of public schools are still prison prep warehouses. What we NEED to do is assure that the PARENTS are the ones actually getting that money and applying it to what they feel is the best school for their kids, regardless of their district or whether it's a public, private, charter or home school.

[@willybeama1]

@@AtarahDerek Hmm, I definitely think we should invest into parents having access to living wage jobs. I can definitely meet you halfway

[@thetrainhopper8992]

In all honesty, education reform should be centered on having county wide school districts with a teacher planned curriculum. Our pubic school system is incredibly inefficient and unequal. School choice or not isn't the problem, us not having the expectation that two schools in the same county will have the same curriculum, expectations or support services is a problem and we can easily fix that with county schools districts. Are charter schools necessary? Maybe. Even as a teacher I'm not against charter schools. But what we call "better" are generally just rich schools out performing poor schools. There really doesn't need to be huge variations in quality in the same county any more. We just let it happen.

[@advocacynaccountablity]

No. We absolutely do not need a "one-size-fits-all" curriculum for all schools across the country like education is a McDonald's franchise. Stop with this. It makes no sense.

[@keosemeraldscorpio]

@@advocacynaccountablity They didn't say one-size-fits-all curriculum, at least that's not what I got from it. They're saying that teachers need to plan and create the curriculum. We have people that are in charge who have 1) never stepped foot in a classroom to teach, or 2) are so far removed from teaching that they are tone deaf to the needs of the students. Sadly, they are the ones creating educational policy and curriculum. Another issue is that funding is tied to school performance on standardized testing, rather than school and educator needs. Lastly, there are a number of kids who simply don't have family support/supportive environment. That plays a HUGE role in student success.

[@caseywatson4508]

@@advocacynaccountablity I bet you hate standardized testing then. If we cannot have a similar curriculum then how are we all supposed to pass a standardized test? Even McDonald's restaurants have local differences, but the essentials are the same. If it were up to me I would eliminate ALL AP/Pre-AP courses and only allow on level or dual credit courses in our public schools. AP and its corresponding College Board cash cow tests are worthless. We need to earn college credit through college courses. I would also mandate that ALL CTE courses be taught on a child's home campus. No more CTE-Early College High School campuses that take students off their home campus entirely. If you cannot provide transportation to and from a CTE facility then funding should be given to create and build the program on a home campus. We have zero issue shoveling money towards testing, but hardly anything towards highly useful CTE programs for kids to become certified in a trade that leads to a lucrative career. Not every kid is college bound and we need to accept that.

[@tjmartin8516]

Creating a nationalized curriculum is a terrible idea because once it becomes outdated they’re not going to change it I think people really underestimate how bureaucratic the federal government can be it’s best to let states and local municipalities create their own curriculum

[@eyeofthetiger7]

That's basically what "No Child Left Behind" was about and it didn't go well. We probably need that to a certain degree, but we have to accept that different people will naturally have different results. Expecting everyone to be Einstein is not correct, and expecting Einstein to be like everyone else is not correct. We need competition and diversity of approach between schools to improve outcomes. Only can do that by abolishing the monolithic government monopoly school system with a voucher system.

[@chrismv102]

Though I'm not a a pro-charter school parent, the Philadelphia public school advocates aren't really telling a truthful explanation of the financial aspect of the introduction of charter schools. Public school districts routinely open and close schools, consolidate students etc. This is just a different aspect of that. This is more about the loss of control.

[@DagamonEx]

The difference though, is that there have been many charter schools who have closed when school is in session with no notice. Then the public education system who had to give up the money for those children is forced to pick up the slack and make it work without said money. Or if they close due to poor teaching sta dards, the public schools will have to pick up the slack again to bring the students back up to their grade level, which costs more money for additional resources. Whenever a public school closes there are systems in place to make sure the child is not left behind, and since they have to provide financial records they are less likely to close due to lack of money mid-year.

[@Burnt_Alive]

@@DagamonEx ☝️☝️☝️☝️

[@JesusGal2cia]

This year is my fifth year as a public school teacher in NYC, so I'm commenting with just a bit of firsthand experience. One of the biggest things that was excluded from the video was the high turnover rates of teachers in charter schools. While I see that there are many people in the comments section that had a great experience in charter schools, it probably came at the cost of the teachers' sanity lol. Depending on the charter school, they may require their teachers to work long hours, attend mandatory events after school or weekends, and have less autonomy in the classroom because they want you to follow curriculum to the T. Charter school teachers are also not unionized, so they don't get a pension and they can also be fired easier than public school teachers who are protected by tenure. So while the teachers may seem like they go above and beyond, which can completely be the case for some well intentioned teachers, it may also just be because their school is forcing them to do outreach or log tutoring hours with their students, etc. My brother worked at a charter school in NYC and he worked more hours than I did as a public school teacher. I'm also not forced to wear a button up shirt, tie and dress shoes to work every day, which he was.The students could benefit from a charter school education but just remember the teachers are humans and have to go through some stuff that most people don't see day in and day out. That's it, thats my TED Talk.

[@willybeama1]

I also teach at a charter school. It is far harder work than when I was in a public school for less pay. Teachers drop like flies making it difficult to get any momentum going. Teachers are worked to the bone while knowing full well they are earning less than other teachers 👩‍🏫 n the same district. Because of high turnover, students don’t build on knowledge because often times a sub is trying to teach them instead of a licensed teacher. The behavior problems of students are also through the roof typically because parents send their students, who struggle in public school, to charters. I know three teachers on the verge of quitting and we just started 3 weeks ago. One quit last Friday. It is really challenging and not what people expect.

[@judihenry6132]

@@willybeama1 you are absolutely correct. I have seen numerous parents remove their students from public schools just before their students are about to take the state mandated test to enroll them in charter schools. I would say most leaving and enrolling in charter schools are already performing low academically and have significant behavior problems. Many times parents believe that when they enroll their child in a charter school, the learning environment is better. This is not always the case.

[@AtarahDerek]

So you think the government should have totalitarian control over a child's education because you don't want to wear a tie?

[@disf5178]

Teachers shouldn't be chiming in..your conflict of interest is just to obvious. Teachers unions are partly to blame for our FAILING public schools. If they were good, no one would want or NEED charter schools. Sorry, but Randi Weingarten and Teachers unions are more hated than a bowl of diarrhea with a side of vomit.

[@Burnt_Alive]

@@AtarahDerek charter schools have the same "totalitarian" control coming from private corporations themselves

[@missinoneyabiz884]

One of my sons went to a charter school, and now works at that same school he graduated from 2 years ago. His younger brother is now a senior in the same charter school. My youngest son started going to this school in 6th grade after being mentally and emotionally abused by the normal school system for years, then he was physically assaulted by the principal and special ed teacher. Sending my sons to a charter school with 16 students per grade, and amazing teachers that care was the best decision I ever made for my children!

[@codeimplode]

I went from a graduating class of 600 kids to a character school that had 30. I didn't feel like a drop in the bucket, felt seen by every single teacher. I wish that for every kid.

[@julietardos5044]

Clearly didn't teach you to spell, though.

[@codeimplode]

@@julietardos5044 whoops. Auto Spell. Sorry professor.

[@dogisgreat1]

Little fish joins little pond and feels bigger. What a charming little anecdote!

[@currently9143]

@@dogisgreat1 lmaoo

[@KidsLearnHTML]

There are some real a-hole comments to @codeimplode trying to add some light to this issue!

[@LDixon21]

My family sent 2 kids to different charter schools and my mom has taught at both public and charter schools. Out of the 3 charter schools we been involved with only 1 was decent. The one that was decent was specifically for special needs kids. But there teachers were constantly leaving for public school. My nephew went from a public school where he was challenged everyday. I was constantly tutoring him in math. He went to a charter the next year. I didn't hear from him once. Next year he was back at public school. My mom worked at public school then went to a charter. She kept getting pressured to change the grades of her student. She refused to do it. So her administrator did it. She didn't go back the next year. I will stick with public schools.

[@KatjeKat86]

The public school I went to I watched our principal try to pressure my math teacher into changing grades because too many students were failing his class. By the way this was the best teacher at the whole school who came in early and stayed late to tutor any student who needed the help. Was always willing to give you extra credit assignments if you asked for them. The only reason why anyone failed his class was because they didn't care and didn't turn in their work.

[@AtarahDerek]

"My family was a benefactor of school choice both at an educational and employment level, and that's why I hate school choice." -what you actually said

[@rolandobaluja7504]

I can tell you right off the bat that charter schools cannot be generalized. Unfortunately there is a lot of corruption in several charter schools. There's also a lot of circumnavigating and hiring unqualified individuals at Charter Schools. But I can also tell you that certain charter schools hold the higher standards than public schools and actually specify a higher standard for the staff hiring as well as staff training. Each charter school is an independent entity in it of itself. I have seen though that a lot of times for Charter School there are more potential positions for both and Leadership. I have seen that in a lot of church schools there is a possibility of getting paid more and also a possibility of taking a outrageously low pay cut. The key factor that determines the worth of a child's school is unfortunately the location and the leadership.

[@yucol5661]

On the other hand. You also can’t generalize public schools. Some are way better funded and run than others. It’s as charter schools are just public schools with a slightly different rule set, non of the bad rep of public schools (not that they are damaging that reputation), and a little business interest. All these arguments would be solved if all education was open to more change and more funding. Everyone sees what more money can do for private schools, why not give that to more children?

[@rolandobaluja7504]

@@yucol5661 I agree with you. The only big difference I can say is that although it's unfair to generalize charter schools because they're so different and each charter school is an entity of themselves. I can tell you that given the nature of Charter Schools when a charter school has corrupt or really laxed with standards it is done to a degree that is much more serious than when a public school shows corruption and lack of standards

[@qjtvaddict]

Like public schools and the private indoctrination (schools) camps?

[@AtarahDerek]

There's MORE corruption in the public school system. Let parents do the research and choose which school in their area is best for their kids. My family has a mosaic of education. We went to private school, homeschool and public schools outside of our district. My parents had the right to choose the best schools for us, based on our learning styles and where we would be safest. As a free American, I want every parent to have that choice.

[@rolandobaluja7504]

@@AtarahDerek there is no way in hell that there's more corruption in public schools than Charter schools. What I can tell you is that with regards to Charter Schools it's significantly a bigger world of the dice because some are significantly better than public schools and have more of a college preparation aspect to it. But keep in mind charter schools are not held to the same standards as public schools and can often engage in a great deal of corruption. It's good to have parents have a choice but there is very little transparency and very little communication. Even if a school has remarkably great staff and even if a school is Head and Shoulders above other public schools Charter Schools don't communicate staff turnover and are not held to the same standards so things can significantly be compromised at any point in time

[@chantellH]

I am a PROUD KIPP parent of three kids. Two of which transitioned from Philadelphia Public Schools. I will be FOREVER grateful of KIPP and so glad I made the conscious decision to switch to Charter. Public school was NOT for my children. I had the most issues and felt my children were not getting the education they DESERVED. My two oldest children THRIVED at KIPP. My youngest currently attends and she truly enjoys it. She is excited about learning because KIPP gets her excited about learning. The teachers are passionate and they take our children's education serious. Again...forever grateful!

[@LonkTheDonk]

Glad you are doing well with the Kids in Prison Program over there. Meanwhile here in Texas we have to deal with unexperienced capitalist staff as our KIPP leaders. People vape in the bathroom every day. Comes to show the inconsistencies in the charter school system.

[@chantellH]

@LonkTheDonk Someone said it best. Not all public schools AND charter schools are created equal. Sorry your experience differs from mine.

[@KidsLearnHTML]

@@LonkTheDonk Total unfair shot. Public HS teacher here and people were vaping so much they had to monitor who was in and out of the bathroom. There is zero equanimity in argument for anti-charter schools people like yourself!

[@edhcb9359]

This is all about the teacher’s unions losing control. The public school system is broken and the last thing that the teacher’s unions need is for parents to have a choice!

[@DagamonEx]

Huh? Teachers in many states charter schools can still unionize..... Also what does a teachers union have to do with parent choice? The unions just work to protect teachers. Maybe you are confusing school boards and state legislatures with teacher unions?

[@edhcb9359]

@@DagamonEx The teachers unions are one of Americas biggest problems. America despises it’s public education system mostly as a result of tenured teachers who do a horrible job teaching but cannot for any reason be fired as a result of union protection. The unions care nothing about the kids, only the money that corrupt union officials can grub.

[@DagamonEx]

@@edhcb9359 I don't think you understand what tenure does. It only makes a district/school require "Just Cause" for firing a teacher. So they have to have a reason. If a teacher does a horrible job, they can be fired for being incompetent, the school just has to gather data and do a hearing. Considering the amount of data states gather through testing, it isn't even hard to do.

[@cbbcbb6803]

What happened to kids (children) that didn't have you as a parent, that is someone that would choose a better school for them? Do you care?

[@edhcb9359]

@@DagamonEx You are sorrily mistaken. Do you realize of the tens of thousands of public school teachers in the NY public school system(which produces some of the very worst education in America) only a few per year get fired for cause and the majority of those it’s for something blatantly illegal?

[@librarian3111]

It's funny how these district Superintendents and Administrators say they would have to cut teachers and programs from the schools, basically all of people resources that directly affect students, but never want to cut from their own costs or go back into the classroom. I've worked for public schools for 20 years and they waste so much of the peoples' money. It is amazing how just a small percentage of tax dollars actually makes it into the classrooms (after facilities and overhead costs and other materials: libraries, etc.).

[@zedzed5276]

can you give an estimate to % allocated to facilities, staff, learning materials, and waste?

[@advocacynaccountablity]

What school district have you been with?

[@rickypv2978]

It's government ran they have no incentive to be efficient

[@annai157]

Absolutely! I went to a very poor public school. Our teachers were (mostly) great, but were paid abysmally. They said they had no money for chalk, staples, or Xerox paper my final year. So the parents, most of whom were poor, voted for a levy. Guess what they spent the money ON? Not teacher salaries, chalk, staples and paper! Instead, the used their windfall to build a brand new stadium, auditorium and fancy gym - even though the school already had good versions of each.

[@doublequilI]

My oldest wouldn't have made it through school at all if it wasn't for charter school. Regular public school system is so broken.

[@priieta]

yup. im in the 9th grade and just sent out my application to a nearby charter school. less people, and smaller environment. let’s hope I get accepted

[@lyssalouise2705]

@@priieta good choice! I switch from public to charter last year and I love it. It teaches self motivation and you get to schedule your classes to fit YOUR own life. I hope you get in and enjoy it! God bless!

[@TheBLGL]

So don’t fix it, just privatize public education. 🙄 Yeah, it’s working out GREAT for: -prisons (largest prison population per capita in the world, because private prisons can write in their contracts with the state that they must have beds filled at x% of capacity, such as 95% of beds must be filled or the state has to pay the private prison) - utilities (remember that ice storm in TX and $10,000 utilities bills being reported? Also, the water situation in Jackson rn) -the war machine (in one word, Blackwater) -healthcare (most expensive healthcare in world)

[@ethxo6734]

If parents believed their children were receiving a good education in public schools they wouldn’t be seeking alternatives. Parents don’t care about your poor budgeting, they care about the safety and education of their children.

[@hunniedtea]

Exactly 💯 💯 💯 💯

[@vanessachavez8781]

Maybe public school should look at what they're doing wrong and why parents are choosing other options for their kids.

[@edd542]

100%

[@34roberees]

The advantage of a charter school is that parents decide to move or enroll their child in a charter school. That's always an advantage for the school and makes a difference. Charter and public school don't vary greatly but the parenting does. However charter schools tend to pay teachers less than public schools.

[@tinaamariee832]

As a teacher whose deeply involved in my district a lot of it comes down to funding, state regulations & the ability to pick and choose students. The regulations charters don’t have to follow that they glazed over is the main pitfall of public school. The biggest being unfunded mandates. They don’t have to fork out millions for minute things required in the classrooms that have no educational value like public schools do. They also don’t have to deal with the same discipline issues public schools do. At the end of the day a public school is just four walls & the community shapes it’s environment.

[@annai157]

@@tinaamariee832 My heart goes out to you. If you're working for an employer who makes it impossible to do your job correctly - well - have you considered looking for a different employer?

[@tinaamariee832]

@@annai157 Nope. I teach in the district I was raised in, my mom is president of the school board. This IS MY community. What I will continue to do is to be a voice for public education & do everything in my power along with my other political Allies from allowing my district to end up like Detroit public schools. Where there is no longer “school choice” bc they privatized public education to the extent that charter is the ONLY option for most parents.

[@alexpowers5187]

I used to work for a charter school. It was a mess. Some people loved it, but it wasn’t for everyone

[@rubyy224]

I went to charter school k-4 grades and hated it the teachers were awful I didn’t even learn basic math until middle school I’m in rsp even though I don’t have any learning difficulties bcuz the school was awful at teaching. I also got bullied severely in talking getting punch and getting kicked and slapped and the teachers didn’t do anything.

[@amna6024]

me too. left bc its an extremely toxic environment for teachers and super low pay with no union on top of that. I didn't even get a lunch (had to do lunch and recess duty everyday). also not the greatest for kids bc most teachers in charter schools are new and inexperienced bc the turnover rate is so high yearly and people just take the job to build their resumes/getting their foot in the door.

[@ljay2823]

Charter schools can be great and they can be a disaster....but so can ANY private or public school. Do your research, get involved and pay attention to what your children tell you about their day to day school experience.

[@jrm371]

I went to a charter school and it was the worst decision of my childhood. The school is now closed.

[@muzikizfun]

I serve on the board of a charter school network in Colorado. While charter schools can be a good option for parents and students, they are not all equal. The quality and effectiveness varies. I always recommend that the parents visit class rooms and see if the school's format and environment fit their expectations. My schools have a large waiting list and over the years we've expanded to 6 schools and others want us to open more. As far as your area goes, make sure you carefully check out your choices.

[@OneAdam12Adam]

You're a grifter stealing public monies. Shame on you.

[@muzikizfun]

@@OneAdam12Adam since the charter school is a public school by law, there is no contradiction. Public funds are for educating students. If a charter school does poorly it goes out of business, this standard should apply to all schools. The ones misusing money are failing public schools that refuse to change thus trapping mostly children of color into lives of poverty and despair. Nothing you can say or do can change that fact. "Fact", look up that word in the dictionary since you seen incapable of comprehending its meaning.

[@julieniles-fry4379]

And the reason they vary so much is because charter schools are awarded based on their different program than the traditional schools. They can't be equal (but neither are traditional brick and mortars).

[@muzikizfun]

@@julieniles-fry4379 So true! Though I support charter schools in general, I also think the ineffective ones should close their doors. The ones that are opened at the encouragement of corporate interests so they can make money are many times completely ineffective. My schools are run with core curriculum, direct instruction and the value that though rigorous academics is important, developing noble character is even more important. What we found is with better character academics takes care of itself.

[@julieniles-fry4379]

@@muzikizfun AMEN, with proper leadership and better character, academics take care of themselves. I believe that this is why people leave traditional public schools in the first place. Lack of leadership and poor character leads to academic demise. Three strikes! I am unaware of any other method for having charter schools, as they all receive federal dollars. In Oregon, a public charter school's plans are approved by the state first and then they find a school district to 'sponsor' them. The school district receives about 20% of the charter school's funds for being their sponsor. Since it is the School Board that approves the charter sponsor agreement, the charter school is accountable to uphold whatever agreement they make. If they don't follow the agreement it's the sponoring district's School Board's responsibility to not renew the contract if they don't perform well. Therefore we see a lot of initial charter school agreements of 2-years. After a couple cycles of success the School Board of the district will then agree to longer contract terms (5 or 10 years). We don't have any charter schools here that I know of that are "encouraged by corporate interests" because our charter schools are public schools. They get their money from the same place as every traditional public school, paid for with the same tax dollars. Kudos to you, keep up the high standards - that's what parents want!

[@gabesanchez15]

I wish someone would look into the mess in New Orleans where there is no public school option. All the “public schools” here are charter which is leftover from Katrina. No accountability. Kids involved in crime instead of class.

[@kagitsune]

Oh wow, yes this does sound like a fascinating (and tragic) topic

[@dawnrichardson8230]

Gabe thank you for bringing this to light charter schools basically are like the wild West of education they just do whatever they want and there’s no accountability

[@larrycanupp411]

As I am at the start of my 17th year teaching English Language Arts (ELA, ESL, SEI, EFL) and having worked at both charter & public schools, whichever "works best" is based on whether or not the leadership team at the school is passionate in consistently supporting it's teachers, while seeing each as a unique investment for the sounding community. I don't care about the money. If I did, I would have stayed in marketing communications. I want to be in a positive and safe frame-of-mind during classroom instruction so I can best focus on the students under my care.

[@larrycanupp411]

@Issan Cali Reject I spent 2 months on Phuket Island getting my TESOL. It was great! But... The pay is very low in Thailand. Come back to the states, or spend 9 years in Saudi Arabia and make a TON of money like I did so when you go back, you'll be set up. Now, I teach in Phoenix. AZ. They have over 2300 teaching positions unfilled as of last week. Good luck!!

[@NPAMike]

I went to public schools and my niece and nephew went to charter. I highly recommend charter schools over public schools. Seems to be more accountability with the charter school.

[@lyssalouise2705]

Yes! I go to one and the main thing is learning to be motivated! I personally think it’s harder than public schools because they definitely assign more work. I switched from a public school to a charter school for many reasons but the biggest one was learning to schedule your classes to fit YOUR own life. It’s like a college prep system in a way.

[@cbpd89]

If the charter school is a good quality, that is true. If it's one of those that got shut down, not so much. Every school is different, always do the research first.

[@ambivalentwanderer]

Those against public charter schools talk about corruption like it doesn't happen in traditional public school systems. It's literally why charter schools were made. If the traditional public school systems weren't corrupt, there wouldn't necessarily be a need for alternatives.

[@yucol5661]

But are the alternative better? Or is it just beating the can down the road? As if private administrators are somehow immune to the corruption of the public sector. Best case scenario the charter schools will be heavily distrusted and pushed to be just better run copies of public schools.

[@thebeatles102998]

But you just mentioned that these "alternative" charter schools do the same corruption as traditional public schools--they're no better so why do we need an alternative when we could just work to improve traditional public schools as is?

[@patrickackerman1917]

I'm all for charter schools. When my daughter started school I was low income and her only option was a public school that was considered dangerous. For 250 a year she got to go to great school. The student to teacher ratio was 8 to 1. For music classes she was able to choose an instrument in elementary she's 11 now and can play guitar and read music. The focus of this particular school was to integrate common tech on most jobs from day one to make it second nature. She's in 6th grade and knows the entire Microsoft suit. This particular charter school saved us. I can afford to live in a better system now but the school she would have had to go to has a lot of violence and drugs.

[@markcuban9936]

I recognize the disparities school choice creates, but I am the beneficiary of school choice. There was a stark contrast in the quality of education in traditional public schools, and the one I went to. Attending a school where parents and their children are concerned with education makes a huge difference.

[@thebeatles102998]

You sent your child to a private school. Obviously, when you can pay more you get a premium service. Not everyone can pay $250 a year is the point and what that does just exacerbates inequality among rich and poor.

[@markcuban9936]

@@thebeatles102998 My guy, that is $21/month. If you’re that destitute, you shouldn’t be having children. Sorry to be callous, but that is a rather insignificant amount that even impoverished families ought to be able to scrounge together.

[@patrickackerman1917]

@@thebeatles102998 So I should send my kid to a dangerous school to be a drop in a bucket to a school system that has been failing for decades?? Nah.. I'll pass on wasting my kids only life to prove a point.

[@KidsLearnHTML]

@@patrickackerman1917 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@elizhopp]

Student aptitude and motivation, family support (financial, emotional, helping study etc), and highly qualified educators/administrators with appropriate expectations and small students to teacher ratios are all the things that drive academic success. It doesn't matter if it's happening in charter or public.

[@keosemeraldscorpio]

THIS! I wish I could like this a million times.

[@susandevine3907]

EXACTLY

[@pretchgonzaga6064]

The comment all I need❤

[@YourFriendAndMine-tj6sg]

It may matter because of teachers’ unions at Public schools that protect teachers who are no good and sometimes harmful.

[@garrickrespress]

I hear a great deal of consternation about the public schools that are being left being. The same public schools that poorly serve thousands of students. In Atlanta, charter schools send a much higher percentage of their students to colleges & universities compared to many public schools.

[@Dreamluu]

That’s because a lot of them pick and choose who can attend. They also don’t take SPED students.

[@jordanalexander4331]

@@Dreamluu that’s actually a common misnomer, as someone who attended a charter school and graduated with an IEP, and still was able to go to a four year university as well as 95% of the graduating class, no charter school Cherry pics it’s students, it’s A randomized lottery. Do your research and not simply by word-of-mouth

[@heavenlysenju9948]

​@@jordanalexander4331 Cuz, the fact that you graduated a four year college in the 95 percentile does not help your case. We're talking about kids who are worse of than yourself. It is a known stat that charter schools do accept less SPED students than public schools, and that the ones they do accept, aren't usually the ones who are very mentally impaired. Nothing against you and your experiences though. I'm actually really happy to hear that you were so successful in your pursuits of academia and wish you all the best.

[@chihchang1139]

Normalize the funding, and you'll see charter schools and private schools are not better than public schools. Just because you people don't want to pay your public schools doesn't mean charter schools are great. It's cancerous actually by siphoning even more money from public schools to give to private institutions. It's just a dumb idea.

[@testingoyay4648]

@@chihchang1139 isn't it that the taxpayer money allotted to each student follows them to charter schools. Public schools still have money allotted to the number of students they have. Maybe charter schools are more judicious with their use of funds...

[@meomeomeomeow]

Public schools are largely failing and continue to fail, my school district in the state of New Jersey has a $1 Billion dollar budget per year but doesn't have any result to show for it, the school buildings are filthy, the administrators are indifferent, year after year the standard does not improve. Working class parents pinch pennies to send their children to private options, some decided to home school. That's the reality.

[@DagamonEx]

Then vote out the school board members and/or representatives who are not fixing them. Simply being a charter or private school does not mean they are inherently better, it is the management that determines that, and you control that via voting. If you handed everything to charter schools you would lose the ability to hold management accountable.

[@hughle9913]

@@DagamonEx the fact is admins and managers worth their salt go into the private and charter sector where they get paid more. It’s like public defenders… a good lawyer doesn’t stay public

[@edwincastillo6684]

Jersey City?

[@thebeatles102998]

Then ... vote for a better school board who will represent your interests to improve the quality of the schools??? You act like public schools have always been this way and are doomed to be like this when we know that the solution is adequate funding and government oversight to ensure standards are being met. Not to mention it's a lot easier to maintain a brand new charter school than public schools built in the 60s.

[@priieta]

@@thebeatles102998 you know every state is different right? we can’t just make things happen like that. if we do that, we will need more people to help out, and not everyone is willing to do stuff like that anymore.

[@excellencerising]

Charter school, like any school, depends on how it is ran from the top. Some are in it for the money - like any other business.

[@JKRBW]

I'm having trouble imagining anyone working at my local public schools are "in it for the money." Are public schools big sources of income for administrators where you are?

[@jamiefairbanks6729]

This was the most fair report I have ever seen! Thank you for telling both sides!!

[@jordanalexander4331]

What they also conveniently failed to mention was that charters only get 70% of the total funding necessary for the child, and the other 30% stays with a district in Pennsylvania.

[@nanday100]

Say it louder!! 👏👏

[@KokoKouture78]

I mean if the extra 30% is going to teacher/staffing I don’t see the problem💁🏽‍♀️ every charter school that I personally walked into are in good to excellent shape. The teachers are happy the students are happy and safe, I notice charter school are more strict on security. It’s public schools that makes me question the funding because I know there in horrible condition on the outside/inside, supples, and staff doesn’t get paid enough and parents/children don’t feel safe… and safety is the bare minimum! And don’t get me started on education and food options

[@briand5379]

What you conveniently failed to mention is that charter schools pick their students and aren't required to take special needs like public schools, that is the reason why they receive less money per student than public schools.

[@nanday100]

@@briand5379 legally they're not allowed to "choose their students." It's a lottery.

[@t78907]

That is still a net loss from the public system that is already burdened. Keeping 30% does nothing when you have a building and staff for 1500 in a school that now has 1000 students.

[@jennahouston6297]

My son goes to a charter school and I love it. I wish my older child would went to one. There was a big difference in the kids who went to these schools.

[@nlibby5549]

Same here. We were grateful to find a good one and now my son is more academically prepared than his peers.

[@maymulla6911]

I am a special education teacher at a public school. What we have seen is that charters do not honor students’ individual education plans (IEPs), which is illegal. Students who come to us from charter schools have expired IEPs that no one has bothered to renew. Charter schools need to have more oversight.

[@kagitsune]

This gave me some nuance I was missing on this topic. Thanks for the good reporting.

[@ramonamittelstadt5106]

I cook in a charter school and all my children (4, one still in elementary) have gone through. Our standards are tough. We keep going, with major support from teachers and parents alike. We have smaller class sizes and integrated learning. The children only excel in our little school. And we also have a resource room with teachers from our school district to help with special programs such as iep and the rest. It's an amazing school. The funding can get tricky. Lots of fundraisers and time is spent on fundraising as well as the support we get from our district.

[@user-ps2qx9uz9n]

I am. so proud of my nephew. He attended KIPP since the 5th grade as he stated and has thrived ever since. He has graduated from college and is now a teacher who loves his job and his students.

[@newthrash1221]

Charter schools feel like a band aid to a public school system that is in shambles, while also taking away critical funding for public schools. I get wanting your kid to get the best in a situation that is not the best, but ultimately we are just ignoring the public school problems.

[@juliat1199]

I found the videos shown in the beginning of this video to be extremely misleading. I’ve been around many charter schools and the parents and educators there have been the most passionate, loving and intelligent people I’ve had the chance to come across. 100% backing up charter schools

[@yucol5661]

Could it be that’s a side effect of getting to pick their students? I mean, if you don’t care an awful amount about your kid’s educations you wouldn’t apply to a charter. It’s a filter.

[@julieniles-fry4379]

@@yucol5661 they can't "pick" their students. Public Charter Schools run on a random lottery system (as referenced in the video).

[@lmlm-ph4pp]

@@julieniles-fry4379 I think Yucol is saying the filter may be that those applying and sending students to charter have parents being more involved in choosing their school. The high performing charters in my area don't provide bus service so parents are responsible for transportation also.

[@jawwadbaig406]

I went to a charter school and it was one of the best decisions of my life. It opened better opportunities for me which I’m thankful for!

[@tenmathegod6762]

I think it's interesting that people think charter schools go into communities without asking. I've been to several meetings with a few charter schools and they have personally invited me and the rest of the community to discuss grants and curriculum. Lots of stuff. If anything I feel like; depending on the school of course, they are more transparent and connected to the community than public schools are.

[@malikabrown7439]

As an educator, I have experience working in public and charter. Charter schools are privately owned businesses they are established to make a profit not to educate. They are also established in low income areas because the community is usually not involved in their tax funded local school. Easy to convince that they are better..... I think that charters are a big money grab for the owners. When the community is involved in the local public schools, it usually performs well.

[@jamiefairbanks6729]

Yeah there is so many things that are untrue here. I’m sorry that was your experience but to paint all charters with that broad brush is a lie. One state I lived in required that all charters be a non-profit. Please do not spread misinformation.

[@monkeymenso]

As a teacher, my opinion about charte and public is this: they are the same about how student are being prepared for the next level. The difference is that charter look more successful because they pick student (best ones), they reject problematic students. On the other hand, public school have to accept any student. So, charter schools have it easier than public schools. "Learning happens when someone wants to learn, not when someone want to teach." Shanck

[@dire67]

Putting my kids through charter schools was the worst decision I made for them.

[@kevinmartinez3815]

I went to a charter and it really helped me out..

[@Globovoyeur]

Did it teach you the difference between anecdotes and data?

[@deejvalde437]

@@Globovoyeur your high school didn't either

[@Globovoyeur]

@@deejvalde437 Heh. Well then, why don't you explain it to me?

[@BCNC13]

@@Globovoyeur why would he need data to support an anecdote about his personal experience? He made no wider claim than that a charter school worked for him.

[@Globovoyeur]

@@BCNC13 He doesn't, and I'm happy his school experience was helpful to him. But I think it would have been more helpful if he had learned that data are needed to determine whether charter schools in aggregate are helpful -- which is what this discussion is about.

[@richardjanowski]

I'm proud to teach at a charter school. At 1:10, Carrol Burris says that like a business, charter schools can fail. She doesn't seem to understand that that's a feature, not a bug. Like any business, charter schools operate with the constraint that their existence depends on doing their job well and efficiently. If a charter school can't provide an education that satisfies its students and their families or fails to do so within a limited budget, pretty soon that charter school will disappear. Unlike a business, but very much like the DMV, public schools have no such constraint. Their existence is guaranteed regardless of how well they educate their students (with their much larger budgets). They simply push for higher property taxes and scapegoat the charter schools. Dr. Joseph Roy (who happens to be local to me) never tires of complaining about the money his district "loses" to area charter schools. What he always fails to mention is that for every $1 that his district receives from the state and federal governments to educate a student who decides that a charter school is a better option, the district only sends about $0.75 to the charter school. The other $0.25 is kept by the district, despite the fact that the district won't be educating that student. We're about the only part of the district's budget that actually works, but you'll never hear that from him. Thomas Sowell said something to the effect that in the entire history of inefficient bureaucracies, not one has ever said "The money isn't the problem. We just aren't doing our jobs well enough."

[@TheSportsandFilmFellowship]

I am going to open my own independent or charter soon. Great video

[@AS-kf1ol]

This is an advertisement for KIPP, which is indeed a great system. What they didn't talk about is the amount of charter schools created in cities to aid white wealthy families in separating their children from lower income kids of color. THIS is one of the main issues with charter schools. "School Choice" sometimes just means the right to choose segregation, draining already underfunded schools.

[@julieniles-fry4379]

Public Charter Schools run on a lottery system. Post the link to your charter school, because if it's public, that's NOT the way Charter's were set up.

[@delamain2077]

I'm also curious, why wouldn't those wealty families just send their kids to private schools?

[@nottodaylilbaldhead]

I have to disagree. Kipp in Atlanta is 98% black and low income students. Other charters in Atlanta also cater ro black students. While there are a handful of white kids in Kipp they have to go through the same requirements as the black children and their families.

[@tjmartin8516]

If wealthy white parents wanted to send their kids to a good school they would just live in a suburb

[@DragonKingGaav]

Everything in America is controversial/political!

[@thetruthstand]

That's how the powers that be keep the masses divided.

[@clydexochitl129]

Exactly xd

[@joaojoao6423]

Good. Otherwise you have a dictatorship.

[@allyip5777]

In China as in HK now, everything is harmonious, as the superior leader is always correct… I miss the messiness in the states.

[@joannabusinessaccount7293]

You forgot one more: money/profit.

[@pernellapayne3963]

My sons have had highly effective educators while attending charter schools and caring administrators👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾❤️

[@MELANIEPADRON]

I attended a charter school hs. Best decision ! graduated with my associates while also in HS. Fast tracked my academic career ! now 21 in my mba. Great opportunities and growth especially for underrepresented communities

[@9tmen]

Oh, the stories I could tell; working in education for 12 years, with the last 6 in public charters; this past year being a principal in training for an expanding district out of Austin during the 2021-2022 school year. Before I was confronted with a highly contentious situation with the superintendent I had received a contract and raise for the next school year, and after one conversation with the superintendent where I fought for better academic standards for his "plug and play" students, I was seemingly ousted. I certainly hope more of a spotlight is placed on these Texas Charter schools because I earnestly feel that this model of privatized public charters will worsen the already diminishing capacity for community trust; for goodness sakes, my school was in an RTC, with 100% "at-risk" populations, and we entrust our children to people that seem them as dollar signs. There is so much dialogue to be had surrounding the management and intentions of these individuals. In my role as principal for this growing charter, the "HR" director called to request that when I speak with my then superintendent that I only say "yes, sir" and try not to engage any further, to which I replied that we are all academic professionals and that it was inappropriate to uphold a toxic work environment, even for the superintendent. Within 15 minutes of this conversation, my job position was up on indeed, I led the 1st expansion of their charter in the DFW area, graduated two wonderful students, and personally onboarded more than 172 students. And this is just one instance of my personal experience with one public charter, I have worked for 3 over the last 6 years. I have never been fired, I have never been written up, and I hold 3 certifications. My question is if we acknowledge that public schools are failing our students, and that charter schools at best are average to below average in student outcomes, why are we holding our academic institutions to a higher level? There is more money in public education today than in the previous generation and the results are lower outcomes, lower academic success, and less educated youth.

[@katanyapatterson7147]

After taking my son out of public school and putting him in charter school ,I seen a grate improvement in his grades and self-esteem

[@elizabethr4107]

Bless yr heart

[@leonaking1865]

Charter schools are not the same, substitute teach in a charter school, and you will find out, why teachers are quitting during training, first weeks and a few months in the school year and no one is talking about the truth. Charter schools have a CEO, its a profitable business.

[@peni1641]

If you don't mind me asking, why are teachers quitting Charter schools?

[@Rollothemodel]

We have to make this about the kids. If the CEO can provide an environment where my child can learn without the distractions of public school then bless that CEO.

[@peni1641]

@@Rollothemodel Charter and Public schools are both funded by taxpayers. Charter schools will be just has distracting as public schools b/c they are both funded by taxpayers. Funding for education doesn't go to schools. It goes to school -ish things.

[@susandevine3907]

Yes, they “siphon money” from traditional public schools because the money follows the students. They have fewer students to provide for and still receive money for the students they have. Charter schools are also providing for a larger percentage of special education students since their needs are seldom met in the traditional schools. Students who are successful in traditional public schools are seldom transferred by their parents, so charters have their work cut out for them in dealing with a large percentage of low-performing students. How is that a disservice to traditional public schools? In fact, the public charter I worked at for many years was seen by the local public schools as a convenient place to recommend to parents of children with academic and/or behavior problems. I doubt those schools were sad to see them go, especially during state testing season.

[@vylbird8014]

I work at what is essentially the UK version a charter school. We blew £50,000 on wall art, but can't afford enough support staff. Mr CEO (Earning nearly half a million pound a year in salary, plus bonus) himself ordered the wall art program, because looking like a good school and attracting more parents (ie, customers) is more important than actually providing a good education. A charter school is a business, and its run like a business. We even have a social media office (shared across the trust) to help draw more custom.

[@SquizzMe]

I'm an education policy professional and, no matter how you slice it, student effort and teacher quality are still the primary factors that determine student outcome, and both are very difficult to influence, shape, and maintain. Principal leadership and effective administration are distant thirds and have an indirect influence. That's why, ultimately, charter schools produce very similar student outcomes compared to regular public schools. They're subject to the same external forces. They share the same student population and the same teacher talent pool.

[@9doggie12]

Charter schools exist to give parents a choice as an alternative to public schools. Honda Civic is a perfect cat but I wouldn’t want everyone to be forced to buy a Camry.

[@SquizzMe]

@@9doggie12 But it IS the same product. Parents aren't actually guaranteed to get anything extra with a charter school. Students aren't necessarily any less of more likely to have higher outcomes whether they attend a regular or charter school. It's not really competition when parents are getting the same thing. It's an ILLUSION of competition.

[@9doggie12]

@@SquizzMe umm no it’s not. The reason why the majority of of student 97% as the video said are black is because black students are trapped in over crowded failing schools. You can’t compare the whole school district to charters because of school segregation. No district is 97% black. The charters are being compared to in many cases predominantly white schools that those black kids would never attend. The fact that some schools do better is a miracle given the population of students are all black kids raised by single moms in poverty.

[@Burnt_Alive]

@@9doggie12 youre comparing apples to oranges

[@stage6fan475]

Back in the 70's and on before you heard about charter schools or home schooling, teachers were paid very poorly but administrators made a lot of money. The NEA seemed to represent administrators and it was a group like Trial Lawyers that the Democrats would never do anything to offend. A ridiculuous proportion of the money went into administration compared to other countries that we are compared to. When the first George Bush tried to put a lot of new money into education, administration siphoned off a lot of it and there was no improvement. There was no way to bring our school administration costs into line with the other countries that were doing better than us. Also teachers in the US are forced to take education courses in college. These courses are not part of other countries teaching requirements. That was the problem that eventually led to trying charter schools.

[@80sGamerLady]

My kids go/went to an elementary charter school. They loved the teachers and staff. It does very very comparably to other schools in the area but not all are the same. The school has to test and abide by all the same things public schools in the area do. Parents must volunteer between 20-30 hours a school year depending on how many kids you have. You have to attend meetings with the teacher once a marking period, and can volunteer for extra involvement.

[@W7WIL]

Charter schools are a great idea. My daughters have never had to come home with a list for classroom school supplies, only their personal supplies. Also, when teachers were on strike in this state, and there were children missing classes in the public school system, my daughters were able to keep going to class. The charter school my kids attend does a much better job spending the money than the public school does.

[@W7WIL]

@@dogisgreat1 that is the great thing about charter schools; they’re not required. You choose to send your kids there or not. If a school is being mismanaged, you choose a different one. Not sure what Elon Musk has to do with any of this.

[@nanday100]

As a science teacher, I would love to start a charter school (which was the purpose of charter schools to begin with... to allow teachers to design alternate education environments). But alas, the political climate has made it exceptionally difficult for teachers to start/fund charter schools.

[@nanday100]

@@Jojokicksass2 that's true... when i started at a charter school, I'd been working at a regular public school for $41,000, and the charter started me at $33,000. But it was worth it because their system was great and the kids were learning and happy. I guess I valued my work satisfaction more than my pay, but it was hard to make ends meet, especially when my husband lost his job.

[@thebeatles102998]

If you want to start a school, start a private school and stop demanding public taxpayer dollars to pay for your for-profit business.

[@nanday100]

@@thebeatles102998 yikes, why the hostility! I want a school that people of all incomes can attend. I don't believe that exceptional schools should be relegated to only wealthy kids. Edit: not every charter school is for-profit. I'm not an entrepreneur, I am an educator.

[@julieniles-fry4379]

Many teachers have done this and you can too! Start by talking to the exeductive directors of your local public charter schools and follow their path, and use the experts that help them set it up. It would be FABULOUS to have a science based public charter school!

[@nanday100]

@@julieniles-fry4379 💕 Thank you so much!! I've got tons planned and mapped out already. It's a big risk and a scary process! But I agree, when I'm ready to leap I'll be doing all of those things! Thank you so much again for your encouragement.

[@Mahbu]

John Oliver did a bit on this a while back and it was very inciteful. As long as there is a lot of oversight and regulation, Charter Schools are fine. However, it's important to understand they are FOR PROFIT businesses first and schools second. As such, they'll suffer all the pitfalls and do all the shady stuff that businesses do when no one's looking. IE, they WILL cut corners and they WILL focus on profit over the needs of the students. Many charter schools in states where regulations barely exist - if at all - often shutter without notice or at least very short notice. At least one high profile case revealed that a charter school became a bar/night club at night. Other charter schools will OVER REPORT/INFLATE the number of students they allegedly have to receive more funding while in actuality having a very small number of students. Like I said, John Oliver did a video on charter schools and their issues.

[@Mike60347]

There are only a few states that allow for profit charter schools. The vast majority are non profits. John Oliver is not a good source for research.

[@justinwheeler5614]

How can they be both for profit and tax-funded?

[@Mahbu]

@@justinwheeler5614 Because they are a private business. Their ultimate objective is money. And in many cases they receive money based on headcount. There have been a lot of instances where Charter Schools have lied about the number of students they had to receive more money. It also comes down to how they treat the students. In some cases students are reduced to a commodity rather than, you know. . a student.

[@justinwheeler5614]

@@Mahbu wow. Greed, huh? Thank you for enlightening my ignorant self.

[@sathishkannan6600]

bad charter school can fail but bad public schools never fail but expands even in funding.

[@joshgardner8671]

Hey there Sathish Kannan! That is an absolutely great concern to have! Something I have often frequently wondered about is the support we give to our local public schools. While I know many areas do their absolute best to properly fund their schools as possible, how else can we support the mission of a public school in our area? Are there educational/extracurricular initiatives and activities that we can volunteer with to help improve our local public schools, help students study and learn outside as well as inside of the classroom etc… just an idea I’ve mulled around for a long time! Anywho, I hope you are having a most lovely evening!

[@sathishkannan6600]

@@joshgardner8671 there is no need of public school , if charter schools can take all students, budget is not problem as charter school is less expensive per person than public schools. There should be competition among school. If a school can't compete, it should close even it is a public school.

[@fspight28]

​@@joshgardner8671 get involved in the local pta or even just reach out to the school. if there is a specific program you would like to implement that could enrich the students they might be open.

[@fspight28]

​@@sathishkannan6600 the issue is that charter schools aren't required to take anyone. Families still have to apply and they can be denied acceptance. Plus, a major reason some charters are cheaper to run is that they might not offer the same service (busses to and from school, breakfast and lunch and might not have any extracurriculars or it will be solely funded by the students.

[@thebeatles102998]

False, public schools do fail and they do close. It's happening all over Detroit, if you bothered to actually look into it.

[@ianalan4367]

My daughter went to a Charter school. It was simply the best way for her to get a good education in the public school system where we lived. I mean hands down no comparison. Charter schools are often (always?) specialized as well. She went to a performing arts high-school. Ended up with good grades, excellent test scores, and a grant to attend college. This happens in traditional schools too of course but Charter is a great option for parents and the kids. No reason what so ever to take them away.

[@gljames24]

I went to a number of public and charter schools as my family moved around a lot. They both had issues and how well they worked depended entirely on its circumstances. My biggest issue with charter schools is that they are privatizing children's learning.

[@daheikkinen]

Americans were largely privately educated before the 60s.

[@thebeatles102998]

@@daheikkinen yes, and private education meant that only rich people could afford to be educated, which meant many poor folks couldn't ever rise the socioeconomic ladder. This exacerbates wealth inequality and keeps the rich rich and the poor poor.

[@julieniles-fry4379]

There is no privatization of a public charter school. However, there are schools that call themselves 'charter schools' that are not public, and therefore would be a private school.

[@roryvance3694]

@@julieniles-fry4379 Oh there are some! Some charter schools are created by a group that creates a parallel for profit company that then becomes the vendor the charter school. They then rake in the profits. Lesson, do your research on your charter

[@edd542]

I say privitize everything, more incentive for innovation in a privitized system. Public schools just dig deeper into taxpayers pockets when something goes wrong, private schools go out of business. So essentially bad private schools go out of business but bad public schools stay running.

[@SangiovanniOmar]

Charters take away from public schools without providing anything new. If you like more flexibility give the public schools the flexibility.

[@jbriscella]

It’s easier to start a new bureaucracy then change another. I like the idea of providing more choices, but not more bureaucracy.

[@thaintriguing1]

Strong administration, smaller class sizes and supportive parents is what works. Lower the stress for educators and you will have a multitude of successful students.

[@jackb1969]

You have to have more teachers for smaller classes

[@ireminmon]

South African Republic is a up and running proof that you're wrong.

[@thaintriguing1]

@@jackb1969 tell that to the government for not properly funding school districts

[@seafooddiablo5686]

Public schools biggest issue imo is the culture of indifference it was a shock when i went to college how there can be a beautiful learning culture. I thank Wilkes U for being the way I became a licensed mechanical engineer.

[@Gabster1990]

The lottery system is what kills it. I grew up in the DC area and many families end up going to the suburbs since the DC education system is whack.

[@saulgoodman2018]

A lotter system makes it fair for everyone.

[@ruthosornio7779]

I was a lottery kid and I'm thankful for it

[@Gabster1990]

@@saulgoodman2018 It's not fair when it involves the luck of the draw.

[@saulgoodman2018]

@@Gabster1990 How is it not? Now people cannot say that it's racist.

[@tjmartin8516]

@@saulgoodman2018 it should be based off of academic merit not a lottery unless if you’re saying minorities are too dumb

[@aji6896]

if people that are anti-charter school dont want charter schools, FUND LOWINCOME SCHOOLS!!!!

[@brittricc]

My siblings, son and I thrived after leaving Bethlehem area school district to go to Charter and private schools. The choice to learn the way that was best for us was vital to our success.. All Charter schools are not created equal so do your research but they absolutely work.

[@briand5379]

There are good charter schools and bad charter schools, just like there are good public schools and bad public schools. If parents want a choice, then give the parents a voucher for each quarter of the school year to send the kid to where ever they want to go. If your school closes, you move or some other problem occurs, the parents have to live with their decision and wait till the next quarter before their kid can be enrolled in a different school.

[@Mahbu]

Vouchers are such a scam, to be honest. Charter schools are FOR PROFIT businesses first and schools second. Children are a commodity to them. Education is not a right but a product. As such, when there's no oversight or regulation, they WILL cut corners and they WILL abuse the system. They will do all kinds of shady and ethically questionable things. Of course, WHEN there is regulation and oversight, charter schools fair well but then the issue is they often take away resources that would better serve public schools. Education should be a right. It serves the public interest. There are some things that shouldn't be treated like a business, like education. John Oliver did an awesome video on this subject a while back. I highly recommend it. It boils it down very well.

[@julieniles-fry4379]

Amen! If we want to see education improve, then school choice will open the doors to better learning and results.

[@michellenash301]

Up until a year ago I thought charter schools were great but then I learned that that the teachers have a lot of flexibility (too much) with what their teaching the kids and the parents don't always know about it until it's too late. Yeah I won't be having my daughter go to a charter school. Ever 😂😂😂

[@SCHMALLZZZ]

In the last year, up to a year ago I just said up to a year ago

[@everythingisaworkinprogres5729]

Isn’t it the parent’s responsibility to know what their child is learning?

[@mamadragonful]

The same is true in regular public schools.

[@amywagner5377]

Charter schools can be a great option. It's interesting to me that people will search all over for a college that suits their children but K through 12 is just decided by real estate. I have one child at a performing arts charter school and the experience has been amazing. My other two are in district at their regular public school because it's the better fit for them. Money should follow the student and more options should be available. Over all my public school experience was disappointing and I'm disappointed my children are dealing with the same issues 20 plus years later. Throwing more money at it hasn't worked. School of choice, firing poor teachers and rewarding great ones with better salaries would help but unions won't allow it.

[@rubyy224]

I went to charter school k-4 grades and hated it the teachers were awful I didn’t even learn basic math until middle school I’m in rsp even though I don’t have any learning difficulties bcuz the school was awful at teaching. I also got bullied severely in talking getting punch and getting kicked and slapped and the teachers didn’t do anything.

[@timberwolfe1645]

Paying for 2 systems? Wrong!!!! The money is just SPLIT between the two systems. 1 student does NOT attend 2 schools

[@SgtJoeSmith]

never heard of an unwanted charter except by greedy corporation teachers unions

[@FrontLinePub]

Charter schools are the greatest opportunity for low income kids to get a decent education and get ahead in life. Poor kids shouldn't be trapped in a failing school because the teachers unions don't want a charter school nearby. Give people choice and compete for their support

[@jada7323]

I interned at a charter school and got weird vibes from them. 14 years later I was touring different charter schools to potentially placed my child into and got the same weird vibes from all of them. Watched this video and listening to the charter school educators and got the same weird vibes again. Something isn’t right.

[@ptlovelight2971]

I dont even have kids, but I got the same feeling from this video....the charter school had this weird, Stepford Wives vibe to it....definitely something not right beneath the glossy surface...

[@jada7323]

@@ptlovelight2971 definitely isn’t.

[@marcmeinzer8859]

It sounds Ike you’re black and they don’t want any blacks there. I once barbered next to a Cleveland charter school which was maybe 75% white, and which was across the street from a regular public school which was 90% black. They also had virtually no black staff. The word for this is white flight. Not all white flight consists in leaving for the outer suburbs. People with more money were just sending their kids to Lutheran schools. It’s easier than moving.

[@CEOdawg]

It's funny. I am a proud graduate of DC Public Schools throughout my childhood. I went to my local elementary school, and then went to the best magnet public junior high and high schools in DC. I'm more than happy with how those schools prepared me for life. Sadly, my elementary school was closed and the building it was in now houses (ironically) a KIPP charter school. My junior high and high school are still tops in the city though.

[@hankhillsnrrwurethra]

My autism-spectrum son goes to a charter high school. He tried public and it just wasn't for him. He can excel at the charter school where he sets his own pace and learning is remote. Horizon in N California. Very grateful to them.

[@robfortner119]

In Arizona "the money" now follows "the student." That is a wonderful thing! It gives parents a choice so they can identify where they can get the "best value" for their child's education. It also gives public schools the opportunity to "adapt or die." Those who complain about school choice, are those with a vested interest in maintaining the status quo. You know, public school teachers, principals, district superintendents and the like. The public schools can either become more efficient and effective, or they can wither on the vine! That's reality.

[@yucol5661]

I support children getting better opportunities and educations. But I guess you gotta break a few eggs (sacrifice all the students who won’t get into charters) to change the system. I guess making it better for a few students is more important than sacrificing and paying for educating everyone.

[@patrickstonetree1]

We now have broad studies that have looked at the effectiveness of charter schols and they are either on par or not as good as the local public school. So, are we really accomplishing anything?

[@yucol5661]

We are making parents happy at the expense of fixing education. So our local governments and private charter administrators sure are happy

[@vmarsfiles]

I went to charter school in high school and it was wayyy better for me than public. I learned much more. Send your kid to the school that works for them!

[@ShantyIrishman]

Why should the state have a monopoly on educating lower class kids?

[@stefslaughter496]

I was bullied in the 6th grade, and the charter school in my school district took me in with open arms, even though they have a lottery enrollment system. This was 15 years ago. The year and a half I spent there was one of the best times of my life. There were struggles, like the bus taking two hours each way because of so many stops from a much wider area of students, to students getting kicked out of the school from failing class. But 15 years later, pretty much everyone I know from that school is excelling in life more than the people I grew up aside in my zoned area. The charter school offered us alternate ways of learning and seeing the world. A main issue hit at charter school was on treating yourself and others right. They just wanted us to be happy and have self respect. When it came to school electives and extracurricular, we didn’t have to just pick between gym, art, and music. We could also pick yoga, cooking, karate, pottery, etc. Also, at the regular public schools kids would have a weeks dedicated to the state test, where the school went on lock down for non-stop practice 8 hours a day. My charter school did a field day for both the two days before our dreaded yearly state test. And the charter school’s tests scores still came out on top for the whole district. I honestly think it is because the kids were happy. I will forever support charter schools! This was about Cornerstone Academy in Houston, TX btw.

[@loriolson3191]

My daughter taught at a charter school and she had a horrible experience. She was paid way less and had to do so much more work. The students needed so much more care and the administration was so disorganized. The teachers tried so hard to helped under privileged kids but there was way more testing in her charter school than the public school she works for now. During Covid she tried hard to reach the kids and spent her own money to try to get help to some kids but the pay was so low for teachers. They had no extracurricular activities and they had little discipline for students. The teachers could not hold students accountable for anything. The students could not be given detention or expelled or punished. Of course parents and kids like a school where the kids are not held accountable. The turnover rate for teachers is crazy high! At the end of the year when my daughter gave her notice the school instantly cut her contract (even though she had set it up to be paid thru the summer) and cancelled her insurance with no chance for Cobra and locked her out of getting her stuff from her classroom and getting her intellectual property returned even though she still had her keys and her laptop. She had liked her time there even though it was a difficult area and hard work. She liked the kids but the school seemed corrupt and the teachers were treated not like professionals with master's degrees but like peons.

[@krishnayogi]

Schools are meant for students not teachers When the whole nation moves to charter schools and if your daughter is really good she will make millions

[@YourFriendAndMine-tj6sg]

Why didn’t/couldn’t the schools hold the students accountable?

[@braedenh6858]

I love my kid's Charter school. We looked at a few and honestly there were a couple we wouldn't have sent them to. But we had a choice! And we didn't have to move! My kid's saw dramatic improvements and it was definitely a worthwhile change.

[@chaosfenix]

Another reason for the difference in attainment levels are the ability to exclude students. They don't say this outright but for example they can exclude students with disabilities as they are not equipped to teach them. In my area all of the charter schools also have a service requirement of the family. The parents are required to commit to 50 hours of service in the classroom each year. This is great for childhood education as it helps with teacher ratios in the classroom but it also means that if you aren't wealthy enough to commit that amount of time then you can't go to the school. Also if you are able to commit that time to the school then chances are you are most likely involved in your child's education as well. Again there is no inherent problem here but it does mean that when you are comparing these schools to public schools in the area you are potentially just comparing children from wealthier families to those of poorer families or at least a more average mix.