Charter SchoolsA Voice and a Choice

 

Since charter schools emerged in the 90s, legislators, educators, parents and communities across the state of Nevada have been working together to ensure student access to a personalized education. And, data suggests that what they are doing is working.

What is a Charter?

Charters are a concept which dates back centuries. Dr. Kimberly Regan, CEO and founder of Sierra Nevada Academy Charter school, explained, “The term actually stems from the Magna Carta which is Latin for The Great Charter.” In 1215, the Magna Carta helped establish the trajectory of the British and American legal systems. It remains a cornerstone in Western civilization.

In the case of education, charters serve as contracts that provide schools with the authority to run a program of their choosing as long as they meet state standards for education. The issuing body charters, or authorizes, those running the school. Each charter school must meet state requirements, just like local public schools, and in the same way they also receive public funding. In Nevada, the SPCSA authorizes public charter schools and conducts annual reports to ensure they are held to high standards.

The charter network in Nevada has several sponsoring bodies but is nested within the Nevada Department of Education. Charter schools are sponsored either by the SPCSA, a local district, or a university.

Dr. Regan elaborated on the process, “Their sponsor is responsible to oversee accountability and compliance to whatever laws and legislation [are] in place to make us accountable as educational institutions. [It also is responsible to] push the needle to bring higher-level academics for all students and more opportunities for all students.” This accountability helps regulate charter schools and ensure they meet and exceed expectations.

One organization facilitating the work of these types of schools is the Charter School Association of Nevada (CSAN). CSAN is dedicated to supporting and expanding charter schools throughout Nevada.

Adam Johnson, president of the board at CSAN, elaborated on charter school variation and how the state holds charter schools accountable while giving them freedom to innovate and develop in order to meet student needs.

He said, “[There is] a variety of different schools and a variety of different ways you can deliver high quality instructions. [So,] the authority that oversees the majority of charter schools, really puts strong guidance in place to ensure that, whether you are in a project-based learning school, a school that is single gender or a school that is an alternative high school, all of those schools are held to a high standard of academic output.”

This oversight does not mean, however, that public charter schools are excessively bureaucratic. Rather, the opposite is true. Michael O’Dowd, principal at the STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) focused Pinecrest Inspirada in Henderson worked for the majority of his career with a public school district. Now, he spends his days in the charter world working with students, parents and teachers, and he speaks of the flexibility in charter schools.

“I go before my school board, present an idea and get an answer that night,” said O’Dowd. Oversight and insight go hand in hand in the charter world, empowering teachers and administrators to reach for excellence.

“I think you can make a difference no matter where you are, but you can do it a lot faster in charter,” he said. In the long term, flexibility and accountability lead to successful students benefiting their communities and creating economic outcomes that advance our state as a whole.

Student and Family Choice

No one would tell a vacationer flying to Hawaii to dress identically to an explorer sailing on an Arctic expedition. That’s because different situations call for different preparation. The same is true of our children’s education, and charter schools capitalize on this difference.

Jennifer Emling, superintendent of the Nevada Legacy Traditional schools network described it this way, “From a business perspective, you wouldn’t want there to be only one type of restaurant that you could go to, or one grocery store. There needs to be a variety. That’s what we do. We provide parents with that variety. They have a lot to choose from. We’re happy they choose Legacy and they choose charter. But we’re just as happy if they choose a local public school that works for them. It’s all a matter of giving people, your stakeholders, what they need, listening to their needs and adapting.”

While all charter schools seek to provide an excellent education, many of them have slightly different flavors. Some focus on the arts or sports or STEM to provide a tailored education. Other school models sponsored by the State Public Charter School Authority include the Montessori education, which focuses less on formal teaching methods and more a child’s interest. Still other school types focus on arts integration, bilingual education, career and technical education and classical education.

At Sierra Nevada Academy Charter schools, they utilize a system of choice boards. Students select what they want to work on throughout the day. This allows the teacher to serve as a facilitator and guide.

“As they work through our school model from year-to-year they learn to have more autonomy, take more accountability, develop that agency and take responsibility for their learning. [This] helps them, not only in school, but it helps them later in life,” said Dr. Regan.

At Legacy Traditional Schools, they approach the classroom from a slightly different perspective. “Here at Legacy, we’re kindergarten through eighth grade and we have a traditional approach. We focus on reading and math in all subject areas, but in addition to that we also have music and computers and Spanish and all of those things. We believe that the whole child needs to be educated. We also focus on patriotism, love of country and character traits, being responsible and respectful and being a good citizen,” said Emling.

Whether a school is choice-based or more traditional with teacher-led classrooms, the beauty of both is that they provide powerful options for students and families.

Luck of the Draw

The size of charter schools along with high demand leads to a unique challenge. In traditional public schools, zoning determines which students attend which schools. Over time, the school will expand or shrink depending on how many students move into or out of the zone. This can result in large class sizes. Charter schools, however, are able to regulate their classroom size. One school in the Coral Academy of Science Las Vegas network has only seventy spaces for students.

What happens when more than a thousand families apply? Because charter schools receive public funding, they cannot discriminate against any students. Traditional public schools and charter schools mirror one another in this way. When faced with demand that is higher than the supply, charter schools resort to an unconventional system: a lottery.

Ercan Aydogdu, executive director and CEO of Coral Academy of Science Las Vegas, as well as vice president of CSAN, encountered this with his own children. At the time, he was the top administrator of the school, and even still, they were not able to attend because they were not drawn from the lottery. This challenge has given him greater empathy for families who may not be able to get into charter schools.

Along with this challenge, Aydogdu speaks of many charter school misconceptions he has observed since his involvement in the charter world began in 2000. He still sees a lack of information, especially among populations of low-income and minority families.

Some families equate charter schools with private schools or think students must meet certain testing scores. “What is charter school? [Some may think] it is not for certain people. It is for everybody. We don’t have any selection process,” Aydogdu said. The lottery due to space constraints is the only restriction on students being able to join this community.

“Since we are operating with the taxpayers’ funds, we cannot discriminate,” he added. “We have to provide everything, just like a district school.” This means that, unlike a private school where only those who can afford it receive top-notch education, public charter schools provide excellent education for free to those who need it, regardless of their academic level or history. Charter schools are an option for all interested families near enough to attend one of the many schools spread throughout Nevada.

Facilities and the Wheels on the Bus

Charter schools and those who run them often introduce innovative and effective ways of educating children, but they are at a disadvantage when it comes to funding. Public charter schools receive per student funding in the same way a traditional public school would. What charter schools do not receive is facility funding. Because of this, charter schools function on a much leaner budget than traditional schools. Funding for facilities and curriculum and staff must all come from the same pot, rather than having one set of money provided for the facility and another provided per student.

The result of both funding and the ability of students to attend charter schools from outside of a specific zone means that another difference between charter schools and a traditional public school is transportation. While traditional schools offer school buses, charter schools, typically, do not. Parents are responsible for delivering and picking up students each day.

Zero-Sum Game?

In a world where all the funding comes from the state, one might wonder if traditional schools and charter schools are at odds? Traditional schools have provided education to students for decades and teachers pour their heart and souls into it. Charter schools are relatively new and looking to shake up methods and ideas while capitalizing on what works for individual students and families. So, is it a zero-sum game?

No, according to Johnson. He said it all goes back to offering parents and families options for what best meets their needs. As educators, those working in traditional districts and those working in charter schools all want students to succeed. Both types of schooling come with advantages and disadvantages. Both are available to students free of charge, and both are full of educators passionate about what they do. In a rapidly changing world, charter schools offer another option for parents and students

Nevada’s Investment

Students are the heartbeat of Nevada’s future. As Nevada elevates education, charter schools offer a proven path toward success. Businesses can support this by coming alongside schools to help students begin to get a vision for what careers are available. The community can support legislation to ensure charter schools receive appropriate funding for the work they are doing because everyone benefits when our students thrive.