Charter Schools: Who Authorizes and Oversees Them?
Many parents are interested in the concept of charter schools right now. They see these schools getting good results for kids, and they feel they’d like to get their youngsters into that environment.
Maybe you have some school-aged kids right now, and you are thinking about changing their education.
There are great Utah charter schools that have openings for your kids. Before you make this move, though, you might wonder who authorized and oversaw charter schools. We’ll take some time to explain how all of that works right now.
Who Authorizes Charter Schools?
The short answer to who authorizes charter schools is that it’s different in every state. In New York, for instance, the charter must be approved by the New York Education Department.
In North Carolina, the North Carolina Department of Education is the entity through which charters must get their curriculum approved.
In nearly every state, a charter school that wants to open must work closely with the state’s education department to get the necessary authorization. Each new one will take the time to refine its curriculum to have the best chance of being accepted by these governing bodies.
In addition to obtaining authorization from the state’s education department, charter schools also need to undergo a certification and accreditation process. This ensures that they meet certain standards of quality and educational excellence.
Certification is typically granted by a state or national charter school association, while accreditation is conducted by Independent School Accreditation agencies.
Who Oversees Them?
Once a charter school is up and running, the teachers and administrators also need oversight. The curriculum has been approved, but that does not necessarily mean it will immediately get the stellar results the teachers and parents want to see. Continued refinement and experimentation might be necessary before the school can function without a hitch.
In most states, charter schools are overseen by not-for-profit boards of trustees. These trustees look at metrics like standardized testing to determine whether a charter school effectively utilizes the teaching methods and lesson plans that were initially proposed.
The trustees might include individuals like private sector leaders, community members, and educators working in various capacities. They are meant to have a vested interest in the futures of the children who are being taught at that particular school.
What Makes Them a Better Choice for Your Kids?
The idea with charter schools is that they will have unique and often higher standards than those imposed by traditional schools.
These schools might use teaching methods that are more effective than those kids would encounter elsewhere. The student body may not be hampered by the strict rules that other public schools have to follow.
Many times, a parent who wants their child in a charter school will try to make that happen because of smaller class sizes, more teacher attention for each student, and exceptional extracurricular activities that are available.
It sounds great in theory, though not every charter school can meet the high standard that some of them are capable of attaining.
As a parent, your best move is to study each charter school carefully to see what it offers. That way, you can hopefully figure out the one from which your child will get the most benefit.
