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Old 04-13-2013, 12:46 PM
 
91 posts, read 139,171 times
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We're considering a possible move to the Denver area. Our kids are school age (elementary and almost middle school). I've noticed lots of charter schools in the area and I don't really know what they are? How do they compare to other public schools? Why would you send your child to a charter school over a good public school? Any help would be appreciated.

For some background, I'm Australian and kids and husband are American but we currently live overseas and are getting ideas of where to repatriate to. The other option we're looking at is Orlando, FL. We've recently ruled out Northern Virginia due to cost of living, high density housing (in our $2000/mth rental budget) and traffic.
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Old 04-13-2013, 04:44 PM
 
Location: Foot of the Rockies
90,316 posts, read 120,193,363 times
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Charter schools are public schools that receive a charter from the district in which they are located to operate outside the public school regulations. They can do just about anything they want; the only thing they aren't allowed to do is discriminate against protected classes of people, e.g. they can't discriminate against races. They do not have to hire certified teachers. They do not have to honor the union contract of their district. Students (actually their parents) apply to charter schools and if there are more applicants than available spaces, students are selected by lottery. Districts may set up preferences for the lottery, e.g. in-district students have preference over out-of-district students, etc. Here are the preferences for my school district, Boulder Valley SD.

http://bvsd.org/openenrollment/Docum...%20%202014.pdf
(I would have copied this but it would only format it to one word per line!)

Some charter schools perform better than neighborhood schools, some don't. In general, there is not much difference in performance when other factors affecting performance are considered, e.g. parental SES, parental education, etc.

You would send you child to a charter school if you wanted a school with a particular focus, e.g. Monetessori, Core Knowledge, Arts, Science, etc. Do note your child can and will get art and science education in a "regular" school as well; there may not be as many course offerings as at a charter. It's really a "buyer beware" situation.


Colorado Charter School Frequently Asked Questions

Last edited by Katarina Witt; 04-13-2013 at 05:18 PM..
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Old 04-13-2013, 05:10 PM
 
698 posts, read 2,039,343 times
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Exellent summary by Katiana.

Charter schools get to severely limit how many disabled or challenged learning students they accept and this may influence (increase) their test scores as they are controlling the underlying demographic which is the factor research shows is the single largest determinant of student performance. Not to mention charters being by lotto with application requriements self select for kids with involved parents from the get go. Something to consider when evaluating test scores. Regular public schools must accept anyone in their attendance area and must accommodate their needs.

Charters also pay their teachers less than regular schools and as a result often have less experienced teachers, but also have more leeway in removing a non performing teacher.

Charters do seem to do well as magnet schools if you are interested on emphasizing a specific thing. In my area there are many specialty charters which include a science/math, arts magnet, language immersion, and charters for gifted children.

It really varies by student and school if a charter may be a good fit, but they are an option to consider when looking at school placement.
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Old 04-13-2013, 08:36 PM
 
Location: Foot of the Rockies
90,316 posts, read 120,193,363 times
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^^Thanks, Bradburn1! After I posted that and went off to the bookstore (my Saturday outing, LOL!), I got to thinking, I didn't explain why we have charter schools.

In authorizing charter schools, the General Assembly created an avenue for parents, teachers, and community members "to take responsible risks and create new, innovative, more flexible ways of educating all children within the public school system."

"Different pupils learn differently," notes the act. The act seeks the creation of schools with "high, rigorous standards for pupil performance, " with special emphasis on expanded opportunities for low-achieving students. The General Assembly sought "to create an atmosphere in Colorado's public schools where research and development in developing different learning opportunities is actively pursued."

Charter schools are a means of expanding choices in Colorado public schools. The charter process provides an avenue for educators, citizens, businesses, communities and parents to direct their innovative efforts. Charter schools offer teachers a chance to be part of designing and working in semi-autonomous, creative schools under defined philosophical approaches.

Colorado Charter Schools Introduction (Govt. website, Mike)

In reality, most charter schools are actually quite similar to standard "neighborhood" schools, although there are a few exceptions. One such exception is Justice High in Boulder, which is "for students who at risk youth who are disconnected from the traditional school system because of juvenile delinquency, drugs and alcohol, alienation, or other factors."

Justice High School

A group of parents, teachers, or others can get together to start a charter school. Take a look at the links I posted from cde.
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Old 04-13-2013, 10:05 PM
 
Location: Littleton, CO
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Charter schools are an interesting theory, however, most have not lived up to their promise. A quick look at the numbers (this is a powerpoint) reveals that while the average charter performs better at the younger grades on CSAP tests, by the time charters are compared with high schools, the average high school outperforms charters. Some charters are excellent (Peak to Peak Academy, Cherry Creek Academy), some are good reformers (West Denver Prep), some are nepotistic failures (Cesar Chavez - Pueblo).

Being on their own (the schools receive a block of money per student to run their operations), charter schools are more sensitive to budget cuts and the boards do not have the experience in school finance. Read Financial trouble puts some charter schools in danger of closing.

Charter schools are opened and operated people with an agenda. This makes them inherently political, and sometimes factions will fight for control of the school.

A better bet would be to enroll your child in a magnet school. A magnet school is a school run by the school district with an particular mission (STEM, Arts, College Prep, etc.). These schools can be hard to get into but are some of the best schools in the state.
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Old 04-14-2013, 12:44 AM
 
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Thanks so much. All your responses have really helped explain the differences between the two. I can start researching areas a little better now. My next question...if husband is regularly commuting in/out of Denver International then where should we live? I won't be working initially, kids are ages 9 & 11, looking for safe, family-oriented, great schools, & good DEN airport access. Renting to start -max. $2000/mth.
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Old 04-14-2013, 07:06 AM
 
Location: 0.83 Atmospheres
11,477 posts, read 11,446,605 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by expataussie View Post
Thanks so much. All your responses have really helped explain the differences between the two. I can start researching areas a little better now. My next question...if husband is regularly commuting in/out of Denver International then where should we live? I won't be working initially, kids are ages 9 & 11, looking for safe, family-oriented, great schools, & good DEN airport access. Renting to start -max. $2000/mth.
Stapleton
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Old 04-14-2013, 08:50 AM
 
Location: Foot of the Rockies
90,316 posts, read 120,193,363 times
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^^I doubt you could find a place big enough for four people in Stapleton at that price point.
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Old 04-14-2013, 09:07 AM
 
91 posts, read 139,171 times
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Within 20-30min would be great, definitely no more than 40min.
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Old 04-14-2013, 09:17 AM
 
Location: Denver
136 posts, read 459,018 times
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Reunion/Fronterra/Buffalo Run areas offer some of the fastest access to DIA. Lots of new construction and you should be able to find a large selection of what you are looking for (safe, family oriented) right in your price range.
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