Long Beach has many of them. They exist in forty states. And other advanced nations – such as England, New Zealand and Canada – utilize them as well.
The basic concept is that charter schools are publicly funded while retaining more autonomy than their counterparts in public school districts. Freedom from the rules, regulations, and statutes that apply to other schools assists the independent schools in delivering a better product for the end user. The end user is the student, of course, someone who often times is not provided a choice in where to receive a quality education – particularly in areas where public schools are failing the American posterity.
Long Beach, as we all know, is not one of those failures, and in fact may be a near utopian example of urban education. Our public school district, consistently recognized by the prestigious Broad Educational Foundation, is arguably one of the nation’s best while maintaining a commitment to the concept of charter schools and their ability to meet the special needs of special students.
New City Schools, for example, operates independent schools in the downtown Los Angeles and Long Beach areas where students often speak English as a second language and don’t enjoy the luxury of accessible transportation. New City Schools’ most recent groundbreaking is a campus conveniently located next to the Metro Rail Blue Line. Serving the underserved, providing access to minorities, and doing so with a progressive pedagogy is part of their mission.
Constellation Middle School, also located in downtown Long Beach, focuses their attention on a small niche of the community and maintains a close relationship with St. Anthony Catholic Schools, renting space from the church and using the partnership to enhance the educational environment of the 7th Street and Alamitos Avenue area.
These schools of choice have not existed long. The charter school movement began in 1988, thanks to reformist Albert Shanker, then President of the American Federation of Teachers, who called for the establishment. Minnesota passed the first charter school law in 1991, shortly followed by California a year later. And by 1995 there were 19 states that solidified their existence into legislation.
There are critics, of course. Some opponents suggest that the relaxed requirements for charter schools result in fewer qualified teachers, and that the supposed increased accountability is not exercised due to difficulty in oversight.
My opinion is that the facts effectively combat the arguments of detractors. Charter schools are required to perform better academically, are given autonomy in curriculum development, and are relieved from participating in much of the required bureaucracy of their public school counterparts. Bureaucracy inhibits efficiency, decreases faculty and staff morale, and requires cutting through red tape to provide services to students. How can that be good?
In the United States, there is also an ongoing argument about school choice, public accountability and the role played by private schools. The Bush administration made an impact on choice, at least to some extent, by allowing school vouchers to families in areas where the public schools have failed them. This may have solved some problems, but only for those willing to place their children in a school with a religious component.
Charter schools provide that choice for everyone, while respecting the constitution’s separation of church and state.
As someone passionate about education, a believer that education is the great equalizer, and respectful of cultural difference requiring unique opportunities for all, the charter school concept is one I promote. Public schools in Long Beach are exceptional. A charter school can be exceptional while specially tailored to the needs of a unique demographic. They can effectively close the achievement gaps among minorities, and they can assist in creating a more diverse population through freedom of choice.