President Obama signed a Presidential Proclamation naming May 4 through May 10 “National Charter Schools Week.” This reflects the growing bipartisan support enjoyed by charter schools across the nation. The widespread support shouldn’t be surprising given that there are nearly 6,500 independent charter schools serving more than 2.5 million children—many in our most economically disadvantaged areas.
Ohio’s charter growth has mirrored that of the nation, with 367 charter schools (in the 2012–13 school year) serving more than 115,000 students—6.5 percent of the state’s students. Unfortunately, there have been some high-profile school closures in the Buckeye State that have led some to question the impact of charter schools. And therein lies the problem.
There is a tendency in public discussion of charter schools to lump all charters together—for praise or for tarring—when, in most cases, no two schools are alike and actively resist reduction to “just another charter” with only a little investigation. True to the idea of experimentation and the quest for innovation that were instrumental in their creation, charter schools in Ohio can be almost anything: arts-centric, “no excuses,” STEM-focused, entirely online, or similar to a vocational school.
In honor of National Charter Schools Week, Fordham would like to show readers how varied its own portfolio of schools is, so we’ll be profiling a school each day this week with a snapshot of the staff, administrators, parents, and students who make up these strong and unique learning institutions. We believe these schools, like many other charter schools across Ohio, are making a difference for the communities they serve.
The posts in this series:
