What are your thoughts about charter schools?

I feel the charter schools are giving your child a little bit more than you would get in a strictly public school, my neice and nephew went to one in grammar school and and I think she wishes the kids could have gone straight through high school in her area there was only the charter schools for grammar schools then they main streamed them all in for junior high and high school. They were leaning French in 1st grade it was wonderful what they were doing, I would jump on this opportunity you have been given.

From what little I know about them, they seem to be lots better than your run-of-the-mill public school.

I went on a tour today and it really was amazing, very state of the art school and small classes (total 500 students and that is k-8th grade). I just kind of felt like it was pushing my daughter into something to specific and not giving her a choice, seeing how it is focused on math and science. I am going to take up the offer though and see how she likes it.

I went to a science focused magnet school for both junior high and high school. I never felt like the other areas were lacking because of the focus, we simply had better equipment and more curriculum than a normal school when it came to our science classes.

I actually thought my education was more well rounded because of the greater diversity of students than if I had just stayed in my neighborhood schools.

Some people have very strong feelings that charter schools and the ways they get money affect public schools negatively. That’s the feedback I received from people who are activists in education.

The education system is so varied from school to school. town to town, state to state. It really takes research and actually interviewing the school to determine if it is the best fit for your child.
Each child has different needs that may direct the choice one way or another.
I pay my taxes for school in my town and yet the choice for my daughter was private school.
It really is a matter of trying to give my daughter the best education she can have and have an advantage if at all possible. While I know I can also give her an advantage in public school with all the work needed that goes along with raising a child, I took it to the next level. While I could move where I live to find a better public school system, with all taken into account, my current choice has been private since K.

I think possibly different states use different terms. I think of magnet schools as focusing ona particular curriculum, and charter schools as trying to teach in a different way. I am especially fond of magnet schools. NYC has had magnets as long as I can remember. My uncle went to Bronx Science high school and wound up being a doctor. My aunt went to Music and Art, which enabled her to have a happier high school experience with a focus on the arts, which she loved. These schools I believe were not lottery, but you had to apply and be accepted I think? In FL my niece and nephew went to an International Elementary, which was by lottery, and it was very good. One summer a young ballerina stayed with me for 5 weeks, and she had been homeschooled her whole life until her family moved to the Sarasota area, and there was a high school for the performing arts near where they lived, and for the first time she went to public school, because the curriculum was so good for her.

Overall, I think the best things about these schools is either the student, parent, or both have shown initiative to be there, so already the students are in a better frame of mind to partcipate and learn.

I’ve also heard some criticisms of Charter Schools also, as @Simone_De_Beauvoir pointed out. I think it depends on the particular community.

Pretty much my ideal would be better public schools in general with Magnets.

ive went to a charter school since i was in second grade and i enjoyed it!

@15barcam Are you typing that from your phone?