In the 1990s, the private sector transformed itself through streamlining and innovation. The public sector must do the same. The results are exciting on every level - most notably student achievement, but also parental involvement and teacher satisfaction. The flexibility of charter schools allows them to make better use of part-time teachers with expertise in a particular subject area. Opponents charge that charter schools do well because they skim the best students and most involved parents, that they actively exclude special needs children, and that they rob the public schools of already stretched tax dollars.
Charter schools are public schools in which any student can enroll based on a lottery.
Funding is based on enrollment, and because capital expenses are not provided by the state, charter schools actually cost the taxpayers less. We are constantly being told that in order to thrive in this new world our children must be able to adapt to quickly changing environments. The continuation of the status quo desired by the traditional education groups is antithetical to this end. For its part, business has much to offer and much to gain by lending its professional expertise and investing in the readiness of our children. Charter schools offer choice, autonomy, and accountability.