Types of Public Schools

Explore the different types of public schools, from charter to language immersion, and learn about the unique pros and cons of each type. Is a co-ed or single sex classroom best for your child? Charter school or magnet? Read expert advice and get valuable tips on the various public education programs available and how to choose what works best for your family.

View the most popular articles in Types of Public Schools:

Charter School Case Studies: Failures Despite Generous Funding and Stanford Backing

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Charter School Case Studies: Failures Despite Generous Funding and Stanford Backing
While there are many success stories of charter schools, there are also failures. Learn about two examples of charter schools that have not turned the tide in suffering school districts.

Charter schools have traditionally been known for producing high test scores and academically prepared students, despite facing challenges in districts that standard public schools have been unable to overcome. However, the establishment of a charter school does not guarantee improved performance all of the time. Even when plenty of money is invested and renowned academic experts are called in, the schools may fall short from time to time.

This video explains why charter schools can succeed.

This article reports on two charter schools that are struggling despite an infrastructure of support.

Trouble Brewing in New Jersey Charter School

Newark's Lady Liberty Academy was a troubled school that many in public education in New Jersey hoped to revive. Situated in a low-income area of the state, those involved with the charter school adopted a new commitment a year ago to show just what the right type of education could do for at-risk kids.

Newark Mayor Cory Booker wooed in public school superstar Glen Pinder, a high-profile principal from New York's Harlem Children's Zone. Pinder was given the challenging task of turning over a new leaf at Lady Liberty, raising test scores and morale of staff and students at the same time.

Unfortunately, even the best-laid plan run amuck at times, and Lady Liberty was apparently not immune to its share of conflict, according to recent reports at newjerseynewsroom.com. With Pinder came an entirely

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More Truths Revealed about Charter Schools: Which Students do They Serve Best?

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More Truths Revealed about Charter Schools: Which Students do They Serve Best?
New studies and research about charter schools reveal interesting trends in charter schools. Between low-income and high-income students, learn about which type of student flourishes in charter schools.

Despite their attraction to many parents and educators today, some charter schools have received a bad rap for cherry-picking the best students in the area to provide the schools with top-notch performance scores. However, a number of recent studies have suggested that the students who benefit most from the charter school structure are not the privileged students after all. In fact, many low-income and minority students are also reaping the many advantages charter schools can offer.

What is a Charter School?

A charter school is funded with public money and offers an alternative to traditional public schools. In most cases, a private group of individuals submits a charter for approval, and they are then granted the ability to run their own school in exchange for promising improved academic results. Most charter schools are given a set period of time, ranging from three to five years, to prove themselves as a preferred academic institution. If the charter school does not perform up to expectations, the charter may be pulled and the school closed down.

Charter schools have become a popular option for many parents and students today, primarily due to the alternative choice charters offer. Because the schools have greater influence from teachers and parents, the curriculum can often be structured around the specific needs of the students in the school. This might explain why charter schools are a particularly viable option for students in low-income or high-minority areas, where kids might need a

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Why Single-Sex Public Schools are Growing in Popularity

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Why Single-Sex Public Schools are Growing in Popularity
Learn about why more students and parents are turning to single-sex public schools, as well as the associated pros and cons of these new campuses.

One of the fastest-growing trends in the educational landscape of 21st-century America is single-sex education. Fueled by research studying the different learning styles between the two genders, more public schools are contemplating single-sex student populations. As the public grows more concerned about achievement gaps between girls and boys, parents are increasingly seeing single-sex public schools as an attractive alternative to conventional coeducational environments.

The Growing Support for Single-Sex Education

Fueled by a bevy of research, proponents of single-sex education tout several benefits that are not associated with co-educational campuses.

A Way to Address Gender Gaps
In the 1990s, the American Association of University Women issued a report called "Shortchanging Girls, Shortchanging America," which raised public awareness about the ways in which girls' self-esteem and proclivity for mathematical and scientific pursuits plummet as they progress through the public school system.

In the 2000s, the public's focus began to shift towards how boys are shortchanged by our public school system, as boys increasingly lagged behind girls in rates of high school graduation and college matriculation. While boys still tend to outscore girls in math and science achievement tests, girls tend to outpace boys in tests of reading and writing.

Many advocates for single-sex schooling believe that gender-segregated classrooms can help to undo these seemingly entrenched gender disparities. Tom Carroll, chairman and founder of the Brighter Choice Charter School for Boys and the Brighter Choice Charter School for Girls in Albany, says that his schools' recently released test

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Virtual Charter Schools: Pros and Cons of the Growing Trend

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Virtual Charter Schools: Pros and Cons of the Growing Trend
Virtual charter schools are growing in popularity, yet are they truly helping students learn? Consider the pros and cons of virtual charter schools and if they are right for your child.

Just as the internet has changed the way Americans shop, date, and stay updated with the news, it is also changing the landscape of American education. Across the country, elementary, middle, and high school students are opting out of traditional public schools in favor of attending virtual charter schools.

Virtual charter schools provide students with online courses of study taught by licensed teachers. According to the International Association for K12 Online Learning, 200 virtual charter schools were in operation nationwide during the 2008-09 school year. Experts expect this number to grow, as the K-12 online learning industry is expanding at an estimated annual pace of 30%.

As the number of students who choose to enroll in virtual charter schools swells, critics of this new educational trend have begun voicing their concerns. Opponents believe that virtual charter schools could become a disservice to all students, and worse, a dangerous final nail in the coffin of an already weakened public education system. Meanwhile, advocates for the online educational model maintain that the individualized and customized learning that virtual charter schools enable is exactly what many modern-day students need.

This video answers common questions about virtual charter schools.

Advantages of Virtual Charter Schools

Customized, Personalized Learning

The largest advantage of virtual charter schools is their ability to offer students customized, individualized programs of study. In traditional public schools, teachers often have to

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Are Charter Schools the Savior of Failing Districts?

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Are Charter Schools the Savior of Failing Districts?
With President Obama's Race to the Top grant, more school districts are contemplating charter schools as a solution to their performance woes. Learn more about the benefits of charter schools and if their advantages outweighs their drawbacks in fixing our public school system.

President Obama’s Race to the Top education initiative strongly supports charter schools, but can these institutions save failing public school districts? While there are currently more than 4,700 charter schools in America, their track record is mixed. Some campuses have garnered tremendous accolades and accomplishments, while other charter schools are negatively impacted by financial management issues, spotty performance, and disruptive conflict with teachers' unions and districts.

Charter Schools: Campuses that Outperform

Charter schools can provide students with a medley of benefits that the traditional public school finds difficult to rival. Typically, charter schools have smaller classes, which foster discussion and allow teachers to spend more time with each student. Other schools have experimented with innovative teaching methods, including curriculum focused on AP coursework or even virtual learning. For example, as reported by the Washington Post, the students at the Basis Scottsdale Charter School in Arizona are required to take a minimum of six AP exams before their senior year.

While charter schools overall may have a mixed record of performance, research does demonstrate that the top charter schools outperform their traditional counterparts. As an MIT study reveals, after attending a Boston-area charter school for just one year, middle school students improved their academic performance by 15%. Another Stanford University study discovered that students attending New York City School District’s charter schools had a greater probability of closing performance gaps between themselves and their more affluent counterparts.

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