Big Education Ape: John Havlicek: Privately run charter schools often let students down

John Havlicek: Privately run charter schools often let students down

By John Havlicek | La Crosse | Posted: Sunday, July 17, 2011 12:30 am | 1 Comment

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There has been much chatter — on both the local and national level — about charter schools. There is also a lot of misinformation out there, too.

Unlike their public counterparts, privately run charter schools often don’t offer nearly enough value relative to what they take away from traditional public schools, state and national budgets, and the public.

Politicians, people in education and the general public often misuse the term “charter school.” Any school established, by agreement (a “charter”) with either the state or the local school board, intended to operate without some or many of the regulations, requirements and oversight of traditional public schools is a charter school.

Public funding supports these schools in whole or in part. This is not the same as a private school, nor is this the same as a voucher school. There also is a difference between charter schools operated under th