The Martins held a backyard barbecue for friends in the village. You were invited along with your family. You baked two of your award-winning cherry pies to contribute to the meal. When you got there, you found yourself having a great time until it was time to eat. Mr. Martin announced that there were two serving lines. One line had barbecue ribs, chicken, and hamburgers. The other line had egg salad sandwiches. Mr. Martin began assigning his guests to one of the two lines. Puzzled over this development, you were then incensed when he said you and your family had to buffet at the egg salad table. You weren’t allowed to have ribs or chicken.
Why would we be upset over the backyard barbecue scenario, but nonchalant about kids who go to wealthy schools with the latest technology vs. kids who go to schools with outdated textbooks, large classes, and no technology?
Equitable education is something most teachers, school boards, parents, and politicians want for their scholars, but the way our educational system is set up, it’s difficult to achieve. If the quality of education in public schools were equitable, then all scholars would have access to the same resources, the same quality of teaching, and an equal share of materials in their classrooms.
Unlike traditional schools, charter schools can alleviate the disparities between wealthy and poor scholars’ access to a quality education. Schools like the Leman Academy of Excellence, K-8 classical education schools in Arizona and Colorado, are able to provide equal access to a top-notch education for all their scholars.
In this blog, we’ll explore why these differences exist and how charter schools like the Leman Academy are designed to provide a high-quality education for all their scholars. We’ll discover:
- The challenges of achieving equity in traditional public schools
- How charter schools provide more equitable education
- How charter schools support a more diverse scholar population
The Challenges of Achieving Equity in Traditional Public Schools
Achieving equity in traditional public schools is like trying to toss a ring over a bottle in a carnival game — it’s unrealistic due to the way it’s set up. This is because the national average of financial support for traditional schools from property taxes is 33.9%. In some states, the contribution of property taxes is as high as 60%. What this means for schools is that those in wealthier neighborhoods receive a much bigger piece of the pie than those in lower-income neighborhoods.
How does this affect schools in lower-income districts? Schools with a tiny slice of the pie cannot purchase textbooks, technology and other teaching materials. They have larger class sizes to cut down on expenditures for more teachers. Larger class sizes lead to more frequent disruptions due to scholars’ needs and inappropriate behavior. Teachers are not able to diversify their teaching for scholars with special needs. Overall, the quality of education in poorer schools is deficient and inadequate.
In addition, curricula supported by states, whether it’s Common Core or some other national state approved curriculum, are a one-size-fits-all sequence of instructions. The educational community today recognizes the need to differentiate teaching in order to reach students with a variety of needs and learning styles. Some children are autistic, some have ADHD, some have large learning gaps that need to be addressed, and two-thirds of our students are unable to read at a proficient level.
In today’s colleges and universities, professors are frustrated over the high number of scholars who enter college with a significant lack of academic preparedness.
Scholars who graduate high school with a low scholastic performance record will struggle to be accepted into colleges and places of employment.
How Charter Schools Provide More Equitable Education
Charter schools have more freedom and flexibility than traditional public schools because they operate under a charter, which is a contract with the state’s education board for charter schools. In exchange for accountability, the state grants them autonomy to operate their school as they deem fit. Such flexibility allows charter schools to accommodate their instruction to their scholars’ needs. This is done through:
- Their curriculum: Charter schools design specialized curricula that align with their educational philosophy or teaching methodology
- Personalized learning: They can implement individualized instruction, competency-based education, or project-based learning to tailor instruction to the needs of their scholars
- Teacher autonomy: Educators have more freedom to use creative teaching methods
- Longer or flexible school days: Charter schools can adjust their schedules
- Smaller class sizes: Teachers can provide more personalized attention in smaller groups
- Support services: Charter schools may offer programs for scholars with dyslexia, autism, or other learning needs using targeted interventions and innovative approaches.
Charter schools, each with their unique mission, maintain a strong academic culture for all their scholars. They emphasize challenging curricula and expect their scholars to reach high academic standards. Unlike traditional schools, charter schools must meet specific performance benchmarks to retain their charters.
Many charter high schools are college preparatory; they include AP classes, mentorships, and partnerships with local colleges where scholars can receive dual high school and college credits. Such opportunities aren’t always available in traditional schools.
The Leman Academy of Excellence is a classical education charter school that fosters deeper learning and critical thinking. With studies that emphasize philosophy, history, and logic, classical education is an approach that relates equally to all its scholars.
Supporting Diverse Student Populations
In most states, your child is assigned to a local district public school with other students from your neighborhood. Usually, children of the same demographics attend the same schools; e.g., if you’re from a middle-class neighborhood, most of your child’s classmates will also be middle-class.
This is not the case with charter schools; they remove the geographic barriers, which results in a more diversified student body. Scholars attend charter schools from a wider area, and the student body is a mix of low and high-income families as well as children from different racial and cultural backgrounds. Some scholars in charter schools come from homes that speak a different language than English. Some have Christian backgrounds, some are Muslims, and some have no religious affiliation. Add to this mix of scholars with diverse learning needs. So, how do these schools address such diversification?
Charter schools have much more flexibility in their curricula and teaching methods, which allows them to diversify their teaching to match scholars’ abilities and needs. For example, some have a hands-on learning approach, such as a STEM education. Others have dyslexia-friendly approaches and additional help for scholars who are behind in reading. Co-teaching models, where a classroom teacher is paired with a special education teacher for collaborative teaching, also help scholars with special needs.
As a parent, when you’re given a voice on how your children are taught, the outcome is a better fit for your child. If your child has a particular learning style or special need, you may want to look into the charter schools in your area.
Conclusion
Charter schools, by removing geographical barriers and utilizing flexibility in their curricula and teaching methods, are better suited to address the inequities in education than district schools.
If you’re looking for a well-rounded, equitable learning experience for your children, discover the outstanding benefits of a classical education offered at the Leman Academy of Excellence.
Enroll your children in a charter school that prioritizes excellence for all!