A Unique Approach: Education in Public and Charter Schools

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A Unique Approach: Education in Public and Charter Schools

School choice: two words that together spell out a multitude of educational options for students today. Among them are charter schools and public schools; public schools standing the test of time and charter schools being at the forefront of a revolution in educational change. Surprisingly, these two educational institutions have more in common than one might think, but maintain their differences. Key differences between charter and public schools include approach to education, funding, level of government involvement, and enrollment practices. Despite these differences, both charter and public schools share the following features: free of charge to students, required to demonstrate adequate yearly progress on state standardized tests and status as public institutions. Charter schools are educational institutions that share common features with public schools and at the same time have key differences that make them unique.

Charter schools and public schools share a definition as public educational institutions; however, there remain key differences within this explanation. Charter schools are independent public educational institutions that have the freedom to operate within a specific educational focus, such as math and science or agriculture science. (WestEd, 2010) Within the context of this specific educational focus; charter schools tailor curriculum, assessments, program goals, and measures of achievement towards the students their charter serves. (WestEd, 2010) Unlike charter schools, public schools are educational institutions that operate under the direction of a school board along with state and federal government whose rules and laws sanction their daily ope...

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... and federal government on a per pupil enrollment basis, however do not have the luxury of levying taxes that public schools do. Finally, charter schools are independent of the geographical confines that a district imposes on public schools.

Works Cited

MN Association of Charter Schools. (2010, November 8). MN Charter School Facts & Statistics. Retrieved November 5, 2010, from MN Association of Charter Schools: http://www.mncharterschools.org/page/1/facts.jsp

MN Charter School Resource Center. (2007, August 29). What is a Charter School-Center forSchool Change. Retrieved November 8, 2010, from Minnesota Charter School Resource Center: http://www.centerforschoolchange.org/index2.php?...

WestEd. (2010, November 8). Answers to Frequently Asked Questions. Retrieved Novemeber 8, 2010, from US Charter Schools: http://www.uscharterschools.org/lpt/uscs_docs/171

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