Charter schools have developed as an important alternative to traditional public schools over the past decade. However, while these schools, located in Florida and all over the U.S., have been making a valuable contribution to the nation's educational advancement, there are nonetheless a large percentage of parents and children who do not understand what are charter schools, and how they operate. In a two-part series commencing today the National Weekly aims to provide its readers with the relevant information.

Definition

Charter schools, as described by the National Education Association of the USA (NEA), are publicly funded elementary or secondary schools that are not restricted by some of the rules, regulations, and statutes that apply to traditional public schools, in exchange for some type of accountability for producing strong academic results as set out in each school's charter (contract).

Most of the existing charter schools have been formed by private entities that submitted a specific charter school plan to respective school boards, and were granted a charter to run their own school. Since one of the key criteria that qualify a charter school for funding is high academic performance, this is closely monitored. This can also be a disadvantage to charter schools, since if after an average of three to five years in operation, a school is unable to prove consistent levels of high academic performance, it runs the risk of losing its public charter, and if this happens the offending school faces the real possibility of closure.

Because charter schools offer promise of a higher quality of education than public schools, and many have the liberty of offering courses, for example in the arts, culture and languages, than can traditional public schools, they have grown exponentially in popularity. They are not controlled by School District Boards, but, rather, each has its own independent board. They are however responsible to school districts for maintaining high grades. They also are at liberty to hire and pay teachers in accordance with their own policies – not the policies of any school district. It is not unusual for some charter schools to pay teachers more competitive rates than the schools in the traditional public system.

Nationally, the first charter school was approved in 1990 and since then, over 4,000 schools have been founded.

The NEA believes charter schools have the potential to facilitate education reforms and develop new and creative teaching methods that can be replicated in traditional public schools for the benefit of all children.

According to the Florida Consortium of Public Charter Schools (FCPCS), there were 459 charter schools in Florida up to the school year 2010 to 2011, serving 154,481 students in 43 of Florida's 67 counties.

In Miami-Dade and Broward counties there are some 170 charter schools (102 in Miami-Dade and 68 in Broward County) servicing over 58,000 students.

Like most states, Florida has developed its own laws regulating charter schools. Earlier this year, the state legislature passed legislation that made it easier for new charter schools to open, and existing ones to expand. That measure and the fact that the state also passed legislation to create virtual charter schools that offer courses via the Internet, should further expand the appeal of charter schools in Florida, compared to traditional public schools.

It was reported earlier this year that despite charter schools' commitment to offering the opportunity for students to obtain higher grades, traditional public schools in South Florida based on their results were on par with charter schools. It is believed that the presence of charter schools has challenged public schools to escalate their performance.

The FCPCS also states that Florida Charter schools must be open to any student covered in an inter-district agreement or residing in the school district in which the charter school is located. Any eligible student shall be allowed inter-district transfer to attend a charter school when based on good cause. A charter school may limit the enrollment process to target the following student populations:

• students within specific age groups or grade levels

• students considered at risk of dropping out of school or academic failure

Such students shall include exceptional educational students, students enrolling in a charter school-in-the-workplace or charter school-in-a-municipality.