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Facts About Charter Schools

As they continue to multiply and spread throughout the country, charter schools have become a notoriously heated topic of debate. However, there is a lot of confusion over what exactly a charter school is, and what they seek to accomplish. People often conflate them with private schools, under the assumption they work for-profit with a selective admissions process and religious curriculum. But the truth is that most charter schools operate just like traditional public schools.



Like traditional public schools, charter schools are free for students to attend, and are open to everyone. All potential students, regardless of family income, religion, or primary language are considered equally. In fact, charter schools serve a higher percentage of low income families and students of color than district-run schools. Even past academic performance and test scores do not determine admittance, since charter schools want to give every student the opportunity to succeed under their guidance. When the demand for enrollment surpasses the maximum capacity of the school, applicants are chosen by a random lottery.

As nonprofit tuition-free institutions, charter schools are publicly funded based on the number of students enrolled in them. As such, they are held to the same national and state standards, as well as the standards of the parents who choose to send their children to them. Although they use a less rigid curriculum which gives teachers more autonomy, but they are under plenty of scrutiny to produce academically successful students. They participate in the same state testing and federal accountability programs. In fact, 15 out of 16 independent studies conducted between 2010 and 2013 indicated that charter school students do better academically than students in district-run schools.

Unlike most public schools, enrollment is not solely determined by which school district a family lives in. One of the goals of the charter school program is to offer families a choice in their child’s education. As more charter schools are founded nationwide, more people are given this choice. While most existing charter schools are located in urban areas, nearly half are located in smaller towns, suburbs and rural areas.

The diversity of charter school locations, age ranges, and budgets often makes it hard for them to find suppliers who can meet all their demands, especially when it comes to major installations such as playgrounds. Since charter schools are a relatively new phenomenon, many companies have not adjusted their practices to deal with their specific needs. Some aren’t even willing to accept purchase orders that come from charter schools. At AAA State of Play we have an impressive record of working with charter schools, because we can assist them in ways that other playground suppliers cannot. Since we offer so many different models of play systems, including custom orders, we can accommodate any possible budget, available space, or other specifications.

Emerging charter schools often have serious budgetary concerns, especially in their early stages while they are still getting established. This often makes it difficult for them to plan around something as potentially expensive as planning, purchasing, and installing a new playground. For this reason, we strive to work directly with our clients or their financiers to find the most convenient and manageable payment plan available. Our talented sales specialist, Laura McGuckin, personally handles all our business with charter schools, and has an impressive record of successful dealings with them.

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Find more about the author: Kristen Breedlove


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