Why Charter Schools: The Positive Aspects of Learning in This Environment

“According to a National Study of Charter Schools report, the three reasons most often cited for creating a public charter school include the realizing of an educational vision; gaining autonomy; and serving a special student population.” With the creation of these new institutions, benefits are clearly expected. Why separate from the typical public school system if there is not going to be any tangible or measurable increase in productivity, achievement, or satisfaction? This entry will attempt to explore the benefits, both theoretical and actual, of establishing a charter school.

The New Hampshire Department of Education cites several theoretical benefits for establishing charter schools. Charter schools typically offer small class sizes, which increases a student’s ability to form strong relationships with peers and teachers. These relationships aid in the overall educational experience and learning process. Many philosophies at these schools focus on “learning by doing” instead of learning through typical educational media (e.g., textbooks, theories, etc.). Teachers are often given more flexibility with how lessons are taught; teachers tend to be more experimental in their teaching strategies. This experimentation is referred to as the “'research & development' arm of public education” by the New Hampshire Department of Education.

According to Dr. Robert Needlman, former Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, charter schools offer the opportunity for self-paced learning; innovative, creative, or expressive styles of learning; and a focus on arts and sciences. Typically, charter schools hold individual students to higher standards of progress and achievement. Nathan Benefield, Director of Policy Research for the Commonwealth Foundation, reported to the Pennsylvania Senate Education Committee stated that charter schools are not perfect, but they do provide many benefits for parents and students. One of the benefits he cited was school choice. If parents do not like the public school system, they have the option of moving their child to a charter school. Furthermore, if this charter school is still not suitable, the parents can move their child to a private school, another charter school, or back to the public school.

These are just a few examples of the benefits of charter schools. In the next entry, I will attempt to offer an alternate point of view by analyzing the Voices from Central PA article “Charter Schools Siphon Public Funds.”