Charter schools are tuition-free public schools based on a strong partnership between parents, students and teachers. There are currently close to 600 charter schools in California. These schools are able to create an environment that’s specifically tailored for the students who go there. Parents are encouraged to be involved and teachers have the freedom and flexibility to be innovative. Students have the opportunity to learn and are held accountable, along with teachers and parents, for their academic success. The reduced bureaucracy allows for a more flexible and progressive approach to education. Teachers can try new methods to improve student achievement and offer more challenging curriculum for those students who need it.

While this all sounds fantastic—is there any proof that this fairly new education model is working? Recent studies performed by EdSource, a respected, non-partisan education research organization, have shown that charter schools are performing as well, and in many cases better, than the broader public school system. They also determined that charter schools are more likely to meet their academic achievement goals than non-charters. In 2005, 73% of all California charter schools met their school-wide and subgroup API (Academic Performance Index) growth targets, compared to 67% of noncharter schools.

Here’s a quick guide to charter school jargon:
Conversion: Traditional schools that have become charters.
Start-up: Schools that began from scratch as charters.
Classroom-based: At least 80% of instruction takes place in a classroom supervised by a teacher.
Nonclassroom-based: Less than 80% of instruction fits the classroom-based model. Examples include homeschooling, independent study and distance learning.

For more information check out the Calfornia Charter Schools Association at www.myschool.org and Edsource at www.EdSource.org.