Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I'd say so. In the charter system the teachers are working at the whim of the administrators. They have no job security and lower pay. Someone who wants a career in teaching is much better off with the union protections of the public school system.
I have two kids that attend a charter school - they have for 6 years ... They started in kindergarten and both are now in 5th and 6th grades in the same charter school. Not all charter schools are equal ... just like everything else, as there are very good charter schools, good charter schools and bad charter schools. I am happy with the charter school my kids attend - on a scale of 1 - 10, I give the school an overall high 8 or 9. Yes - there are problems but there are more pros for me adnd my kids than cons
*The school puts academics as their main priority and it is very vigorous but my kids are learning .... not memorizing. And my kids have performed well academically - one got a 4 on the State ELA test and a high 3 on the Math and the other child did high 3 on both the ELA and Math tests(and that's with the new common core standards)
*The school offers alot of academic help and intervention for the kids .... both during the day and in AfterSchool
*I find most of the teachers are very committed and overall, my kids like the teachers. They send emails, call and keep me updated on different things.
*Note that while some charter schools pay their teachers little- others pay a decent amount. I saw the W2 of one of my child's teachers a couple of years ago and it showed he made about $85,000. ( he showed me his W2 as I was helping him with a tax question - my background is in accounting and taxation and he asked for my guidance regarding his tax filing). Plus this teacher told me he received a bonus when the kids performed at certain levels - I don't know the amount of the bonus but he said it was a decent amount.
*Yes at most charter schools , the teachers can be fired at will but they know this going in and I think many teachers start or go to the charter schools to get more experience and then move on. Some of my kids prior teachers have moved on to higher positions at private schools or other charter schools . Note that there are a couple of charter schools where the teachers are unionized so they can't be fired at will .
*At my kids charter school - while the academics is rigorous and a priority- non academics is also important.
During the school day, the kids get art, music and physical Ed several times each during the week. This is so important to me. They are also sports teams and cheer leading squad, music band and orchestra and chess teams.
*There is an after school program that goes until 6 or 7 pm - the kids participate in sports, art stuff, music, do homework and other academics in the AfterSchool. And I admit- having an AfterSchool program that goes until 6 pm or 7 is great for working parents like myself.
Some cons:
*You do see teacher turnover - a group stays but others move on. But I don't necessarily see this as a bad thing. As I previously said - some of the teachers have left for better positions elsewhere and I keep in touch with several of them. Also - I see charter as businesses - if the school doesn't perform well over time - they can close down ( lose their charter) and administrators and teachers could lose their job. But if the school does well - some get bonuses and good recognitions. Yes, I agree that the administrators at some of these schools get excessive pay for the amount of work they do and don't seem to provide much to the kids but each school is different.
Note I am not against the regular public school.i was born and raised in NYC and still live here and was in public school from kindergarten through 12th grade. I have many family members and friends who have attended or still attend public school and I always tell them that not all charter schools are better - to do their research. In fact when my kids were were pre-kindergarten age, I tried to get them into a zoned public school but there was no space. I tried again for kindergarten in my area and although there is a public school across the street from our building, the school staff said they didn't have space and I was sent to another school - 6 blocks away. When i went to this zoned public school 6 blocks away - they said they had no space for them for kindergarten but thatbtheybwould be able to getin for 1st grade sinecit was their zoned school. I even tried to get my girls into a gifted program at the citywide and zoned public schools- for kindergarten ...but they didn't pass the gifted and talented muster because they were so shy and didn't talk much to the grader (at age 5 ... Give me a break ... my kids were shy talking to a stranger). So I applied to many charter schools and did my research on them and they got into the charter school they are in now ... at kindergarten. And they are excelling at the charter school. And they really like school ( hope this continues as they approach their teenage years). Would they have done as well in a regular public school - I think so but nevertheless , I am happy with their charter school.
Charter Schools were supposed to be the thin end of the wedge for the right wing to destroy the public school system. It hasn't worked out as expected.
Just another goofy but oh so common scheme to funnel public money into private hands.
I have two kids that attend a charter school - they have for 6 years ... They started in kindergarten and both are now in 5th and 6th grades in the same charter school. Not all charter schools are equal ... just like everything else, as there are very good charter schools, good charter schools and bad charter schools. I am happy with the charter school my kids attend - on a scale of 1 - 10, I give the school an overall high 8 or 9. Yes - there are problems but there are more pros for me adnd my kids than cons
..
Note I am not against the regular public school.i was born and raised in NYC and still live here and was in public school from kindergarten through 12th grade.
Thanks for taking the time to share your experience, and yes you are absolutely right - people are not against regular public schools they are for choice. Many people are perfectly happy with the local zoned school, union and all
I worked for a charter school for 2 years. The students all were developmentally slow or one step away from prison. Those kids had no where else to go in the DOE (multiple suspensions, etc). I thought it was a terrible concept.
The beauty of the charter schools is that there is more accountability at all levels. If a teacher isn't cutting it, they can be fired. No tenure or unions issues, just gone. The same thing with the whole schools.
The untouchability factor in public schools, and the people who staff them, is their biggest problem. The charters deal with that.
The beauty of the charter schools is that there is more accountability at all levels. If a teacher isn't cutting it, they can be fired. No tenure or unions issues, just gone. The same thing with the whole schools.
The untouchability factor in public schools, and the people who staff them, is their biggest problem. The charters deal with that.
NYC teachers can be fired they just have to go thru a process I dont think children should be penalized for the teachers having a Union afterall they are learning about what happened when there were no unions to protect the lowly workers
seems to me that the gilded age is making a comeback and charter schools are preparing the children to be slaves
go back to your own thread and answer the question posed to YOU
fukn silly twit
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
