Hector Perez

By Hector Perez

 

A new report has placed Texas near top of the list in charter school growth across the nation.

 

This comes a year after the Texas Legislature agreed to gradually raise the cap on the number of charters allowed in the state. Officials at local charter schools have said that increased parental appeal is a large factor in this growth.

 

“Charter schools have become a political issue,” said Dr. Joe Gonzales, superintendent at East Austin College Prep. “The reaction to that political talk is that parents are looking at their schools more closely and saying ‘I want something different and better for my children’.”

 

The report by the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools shows that Texas added 52 new public charter schools and 36,000 new students—fourth behind California, Arizona, and Florida.David Dunn, executive director of the Texas Charter Schools Association, saiddemand for charter schools remains high because of the variety of programs they offer.

 

“We’ve got charter schools that providefine arts focus and embed fine arts in their curriculum. We’ve got a number of schools that are really tailored for kids who have dropped out,” Dunn said.“It’s not one thing. It’s just an ability to provide unique opportunities.”

 

DeEtta Culbertson, information specialist at the Texas Education Agency, said that one of the main differences between charter and traditional public schools is the manner in which subjects are taught. While they must adhere to the mandatory state curriculum standard, they have the freedom to teach the subjects within that curriculum in different ways.This includes smaller class sizes, extended school hours, and emphasis on specific subjects.

 

Charter schools were authorized by the Texas Legislature in 1995. Last year’s vote ensured that the number of charters given out by the state would be raised gradually from 215 to 305 by the fall of 2019. The first increase will occur on Sept. 1, when the cap is raised to 225.With each charter, organizations are free to establish multiple campuses throughout the state. According to TEA documents, KIPP Public Charter Schools lead the way in Austin with nine campuses.

 

Despite the recent growth, charter schools across the state continue to have funding issues. Unlike their traditional counterparts, charter schools are not allowed to collect local taxes.

 

According to a TEA report, the majority of their funding comes from the Foundation School Program, which calculates funding based on weighted average daily attendance. Otheravenues include grants, donations, and tuition fees.

 

The NAPCS report also highlighted the growth of charter schools at a national level—600 new schools and 288,000 newly enrolled students for the 2013-2014 school year. Since the first charter school opened in Minnesota in 1992, the number of schools has grown to approximately 6,400 schools and 2.5 million students across the nation.

 

In Texas, more than 100,000 students still remainon charter school waitlists. Tracy Young, TCSA vice president of government and public affairs, thinks more schools will open to meet current demand, but truly hopes the next decade brings closer working relationships with traditional school districts.Young said there is no animosity between the two systems, but that some competition exists.

 

“Definitely,” Young said. “It’s a limited pot of students in anyone place, and those students, they’re either going to the neighborhood zone school or they’re choosing to go somewhere else.”

 

With better relationships, she says, both sides will be able to exchange innovative techniques that have worked in charters and will ultimately benefit all students.

 

“Some people like the competition aspect of it,” Young said. “But at the same time, you know, the whole point is to have quality schools for kids.”