NOTE: Free essay sample provided on this page should be used for references or sample purposes only. The sample essay is available to anyone, so any direct quoting without mentioning the source will be considered plagiarism by schools, colleges and universities that use plagiarism detection software. To get a completely brand-new, plagiarism-free essay, please use our essay writing service.
One click instant price quote
Charter schools are nonsectarian public schools of choice that operate with freedom from many of the regulations that apply to traditional public schools. The "charter" establishing each such school is a performance contract detailing the school's mission, program, goals, students served, methods of assessment, and ways to measure success. The length of time for which charters are granted vary but most are granted for 3 - 5 years. At the end of the term, the body granting the charter may renew the school's contract. Charter schools are accountable to their sponsor (usually a state or local school board) to produce positive academic results and stick to the charter contract. The basic concept of charter schools is that they exercise increased independence in return for this accountability.
They are accountable for both academic results and economic practices to several groups. These are the sponsor that grants them, the parents who choose them, and the public that funds them. Mississippi's charter school law was passed in 1997. Eligible operators of Mississippi's charter schools are restricted to existing public schools. There is one school currently operating in the state. This school began operation in June, 1999.
It is the Hayes Cooper Center for Math, Science, and Technology in Meri gold, MS. Hayes Cooper was established as a magnet school in 1991. It received charter status from the state of MS on December 19, 1997. It currently has under 500 students and serves kindergarten through sixth grade.
It is located in the Mississippi Delta and has a ratio of 50 % white and 50 % black. The intention of most charter school legislation is to: h Increase opportunities for learning and access to quality education for all students h Create choice for parents and students within the public school system h Provide a system of accountability for results in public education h Encourage innovative teaching practices h Create new professional opportunities for teachers h Encourage community and parent involvement in public education h Leverage improved public education broadly People establish charter schools for a variety of reasons. The founders generally fall into three groups: grassroots organizations of parents, teachers and community members; entrepreneurs; or existing schools converting to charter status. According to some reports, the three reasons most often cited to create a charter school are to: Parents and teachers choose charter schools primarily for educational reasons -- high academic standards, small class size, innovative approaches, or educational philosophies in line with their own. Some also have chosen charter schools for their small size and associated safety. The charter school movement evolved from a number of other reform ideas, from alternative schools, to site-based management, magnet schools, public school choice, privatization, and community-parental empowerment.
The term "charter" originated in the 1970 s when educators suggested that small groups of teachers be given contracts or "charters" by their local school boards to explore new approaches. The American Federation of Teachers then publicized the idea, suggesting that local boards could charter an entire school with union and teacher approval. In the late 1980 s Philadelphia, PA started a number of schools-within-schools and called them "charters. " Some of them were schools of choice. The idea was further refined in Minnesota and based on three basic values: opportunity, choice, and responsibility for results. In 1991 Minnesota passed the first charter school law, with California following suit in 1992.
By 1995, 19 states had signed laws allowing for the creation of charter schools, and by 1999 that number increased to 36 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia. Charter schools are one of the fastest growing innovations in education policy, enjoying broad support from governors, state legislators, and past and present secretaries of education. President Clinton has also supported them, calling in his 1997 State of the Union Address for the creation of 3, 000 charter schools by the year 2000 and delivering remarks for the 1999 Charter Schools National Conference. Since 1994 the federal Department of Education has provided grants to support states' charter school efforts, from $ 6 million in fiscal year 1995, to $ 100 million in fiscal year Thirty-six states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico have passed charter school laws. The most recent, Oklahoma and Oregon, began in 1999. Thirty-two states, Washington D.
C. , and Puerto Rico currently have charter schools. Arkansas, New Hampshire, Virginia, and Wyoming have charter laws but no charter schools. During the 1998 - 1999 school year charter schools opened for the first time in Ohio, Idaho, Mississippi, and Nevada. The U. S. Department of Education estimates that 1735 - 1790 charter schools will operate in 1999 - 2000.
It is estimated that 350, 000 students will attend these schools in the fall of 1999. It is reported that last year 1, 205 charter schools served every grade from pre-K to adult. Of these, 58 % were elementary schools, 20 % were secondary schools, and 22 % included grades at both levels. Arizona leads the nation in number of charters, with nearly 350 schools currently in operation, followed by California (234), Michigan (over 175), Texas (over 150), and Florida (112). Charter schools vary from state to state, not only because the individual charters set out unique mission and goal statements, but also because state charter laws, which significantly influence the development of charter schools, also vary.
The laws cover seven basic policy and h Charter Development: who may propose a charter, how charters are granted, the number of charter schools allowed, and related issues. h School status: how the school is legally defined and related governance, operations, and h Fiscal: the level and types of funding provided and the amount of fiscal independence and h Students: how schools are to address admissions, non-discrimination, racial / ethnic balance, discipline, and special education. h Staffing and Labor Relations: whether the school may act as an employer, which labor relations laws apply, and other staff rights and privileges. h Instruction: the degree of control a charter school has over the development of its instructional goals and practices. h Accountability: whether the charter serves as a performance-based contract, how assessment methods are selected, and charter revocation and renewal issues.
Bill Clinton wants to triple the number of charter schools by the year 2010. George W. Bush wants to set aside $ 3 billion of federal money to support facilities for them. The public consistently says that education is one of the most important issues facing the country. And charter schools have emerged as one of the liveliest and most promising strategies for solving the problems of American education. Yet most people are unfamiliar with the whole concept.
Charter schools can successfully be held accountable for the education they provide without resorting to heavy-handed regulation. Indeed, charter schools are more accountable than schools in the current system. If a school is failing, eliminate it. If it pleases no families, nobody need attend it. Such options don't exist in the traditional school model. If all schools that exist today were under this sort of pressure to develop an education plan that promotes success or else it would close, maybe more schools would have larger outcomes of successful and productive citizens in their communities.
Whereas, most schools also have access to too much outdated materials to use with their students, charter schools offer all updated materials and resources for all students attending there. As more charter schools are opening in the coming years, more reports will become available as to their success. All public education officials will be waiting and watching to see how these are developing and how they will affect the future of all public Center for Educational Reform. Retrieved from the World Wide Web June 12, 2000. web schools/ Bier worth, Jack (1997).
Redefine School Boundaries. Retrieved from the World Wide Web June 14, 2000. web 97 / Booth, Michael (1997). School Districts Start to Warm to the Charter Movement. Retrieved from the World Wide Web June 12, 2000. web 97 / The Center for School Change.
Retrieved from the World Wide Web June 13, 2000. web US Charter School Homepage. Retrieved from the World Wide Web June 17, 2000. web Dale, Angela (1999). Charter Schools: The New Neighborhood Schools. Retrieved from the World Wide Web June 18, 2000.
web Bibliography:
Free research essays on topics related to: labor relations, public schools, puerto rico, world wide, public education
Research essay sample on Puerto Rico Labor Relations
