Charter Schools Are Public Schools

Guest post by Amanda Stafford, Center for Education Reform

“What is a charter school?” This is a frequently asked question that has a relatively simple answer. Essentially, charter schools are innovative public schools.

Unlike traditional public schools, they can make changes in their administrative and institutional practices in order to best serve their community. For example, many charter schools target a particular group of students, including those from low-income families or those with special needs. Charter schools often have smaller class sizes than traditional public schools, which creates a lower student to teacher ratio and provides the students with more one on one instruction. Many charter students have benefited academically from the personalization and flexibility, and in many cases, they outperform their district counterparts. For example, a study in New York found that almost 81% of 6th through 8th grade charter school students scored equal to or better than the national grade-level standard for math and English. However, only 62% of their counterparts in traditional public schools met the bar (CER).

Charter schools are public schools, and like all public schools, they are funded by the state or district on a per-pupil basis. However, charter school funding does not always match that of its district counterparts. For example, charter schools are funded at approximately 64% of traditional public schools on a national level.

Additionally, charter schools often lack funding to cover start-up costs such as capital expenses, which creates a significant barrier for both new schools looking to start and existing schools looking to expand.

​Charter schools expand educational opportunity for students and families and are successfully serving communities all around the country. If you want improved outcomes and increased opportunities for the children of Nebraska, write your state representative and let your voice be heard. 

The Center for Education Reform is a valued partner of School Choice Lincoln.

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