Click here to go to part two. OST discussion of public education in the United States begins with the premise that big, government-run school systems no longer work.
Charter schools are new public schools operated by independent groups.
Both ideas address the problems in public education by walking away from them. That the former is now in the ascendant, the author argues, should be cause for concern. The elementary and junior high schools of East Harlem have been held up by many educators and politicians as models, and as proof that allowing parents to choose their children's schools is the key to improved performance. See more Atlantic articles on Education . Charter Schools A general reference for charter schools that includes a nationwide survey of charter schools and a description of the laws pertaining to charter schools in each state.