The most obvious benefit attached to a charter school is that it is a free educational resource as a result of being created as a public educational institution. There is public accountability in respect of its standards of education, management, and facilities, and its primary purpose is to serve as a viable academic option for a broad spectrum of pupils.
Besides the fact that they are educational institutions that are intended to be available to anyone, regardless of their socioeconomic status or background, what are the benefits of charter schools?
Let’s investigate the basics of what a charter school offers and some of the supporting arguments that could help you to decide it was the right choice for your child’s educational journey.
Why do charter schools exist?
The fundamental ethos behind the purpose of a charter school is to provide a learning facility that acknowledges every student is an individual and has different educational needs and abilities.
Charter schools are run on the basis that they embrace all of these differences in ambitions and abilities. They are designed to deliver a welcoming learning environment where students get a good quality education in a safe environment.
What do the numbers say?
As a parent, your sole focus is on finding a school that gives your child all the opportunities they need to learn and grow as a person. At the same time, you will want to know that charter schools deliver on their promises in terms of educational standards.
The fact that charter schools can sometimes be heavily oversubscribed is testament to their popularity as an educational option. There are close to 8,000 charter schools in the US and about 3.7 million students in attendance. That number could easily double if there were more charter schools available, according to reliable data sources.
Who goes to a charter school?
Why are charter schools so popular and what do attendance and student profile figures tell us about their effectiveness?
Children attending a charter school are estimated to have as much as a 10% higher chance of graduating from high school when they have followed this path. Their attendance and persistence in college is also likely to be higher as a result of the discipline and recognition of the importance of an education that comes with charter school attendance.
It is also estimated that a former charter school pupil will have a higher percentage chance of achieving higher earnings in their career as a result of taking this educational route.
What are some of the reasons behind the success of charter schools?
A lot of students tend to benefit from smaller class sizes. This is something more likely in a charter school environment. It is also highly relevant to note that although each charter school has to adhere to a strict set of standards and accountability, they also have a degree of autonomy in certain areas of the curriculum.
These compelling reasons make a sound case for considering the option of sending your child to a charter school.
Take the time to talk to a charter school that meets your needs and see how your child might benefit from what they have to offer.