Where & How Were Charter Schools Born?
Societies are configured according to the political ideology that governs, coming to permeate the educational system with it. In this way, a capitalist government will foster individualism which, on the other hand, is a characteristic of the market model.
This type of government aims to achieve an educational quality related to productivity, competitiveness and efficiency. Thus, in a capitalist society, where the search for the characteristics of educational quality prevails, a type of schools, contracted by the State, called Charter, appears in its educational system.
But where and how charter high schools were born? Next, we will tell you a little about its history.
What are The Charter School Systems?
Charter schools are funded by the state based on the number of students enrolled in the center, although they may also receive donations from individuals or businesses. These schools cannot charge for primary educational services, but they can charge for high schools ones.
In exchange for the capital that the State gives them, they are subjected to the evaluation of their previously presented proposal, which will specify the contents, objectives and methodology of the college that presents it. After a period of three to five years, if the schools do not comply with the contract presented to the State, their license will not be renewed.
How Were Charter Schools Born?
The history of charter schools begins in the United States, when in the early 1980s; it was thought that there should be more freedom of innovation in teaching methods, with the aim of better serving students with learning disabilities.
At the end of this decade, a “schools within schools” program began in Philadelphia, which they called “Charter”. These schools would encourage free choice both for teachers, who decided to join this type of school, and for the parents of the students, to whom the educational offer was increased.
However, charter high schools were not born as such, until 1993 in Minnesota. Since then, more charter schools have opened in various states, but the biggest boost came with the Clinton administration in 1995.
Charter High Schools in Phoenix Features
- Charter high schools were born to give everyone the opportunity to access a decent and quality education. Initially, charters were created to serve underserved populations and children with some learning problems. Today, an attempt is made to maintain the initial idea with which it was created.
- This point is related to the previous one. By definition we extract that "charter schools are public and free schools, where parents are encouraged to collaborate with the institution through donations or by working in various activities." Charter schools cannot discriminate against families for the type of activity they decide to contribute to the educational institution.
- On the other hand, charter schools leave the teaching staff freedom to innovate and to choose the methodology that they consider most appropriate; however, these methodologies are constantly evaluated.
- Charter high schools are a form of hybrid schools: state owned and funded, but privately run and exempt from various state regulations.
- In addition, this academic excellence is accessible to all types of students, since the charter companies combine the gratuity as a result of public funding with the obligation to accept all types of students.
- Providing academic excellence to the most vulnerable students is the reason for this model. This element is the key to its political legitimacy, and has even generated "an argument based on the right of access to quality education through school choice."
- These schools provide educational alternatives for both the teachers and the community, since the opportunity is obtained to acquire a pedagogical innovation. In other words, the students have a personal follow-up that is adjusted according to their needs.
As we have seen, charter school legislation offers a positive vision of the establishment of these schools in a country or a State. It is important that those who adopt this educational system maintain the foundations for which they were created: accept students who want to progress without being judged.
Among other virtues, Charter high schools in phoenix are more efficient and more transparent than public schools; they hire highly qualified and motivated faculty; they are inclusive and innovative; and they do better academically than public schools.