How will you choose which school to send your child to? There are so many choices; public schools are the traditional schools that used to be the only choice when it comes to schools. These schools are regulated and paid for by the government. There are rules that have to be adhered to and the children are given standardized tests to mark their progress. The teachers must hold a Bachelor's degree in education and also pass a certification test. Charter Schools are an alternative to the traditional public school. They are funded by the state but are not subjected to the same rules and regulations as the public schools. They are designed by educators, parents, and community leaders. Charter schools are opened and attended by choice. The option of which school to send your child to is solely up to you.

Charter schools are attended by choice; you, as the parent, must apply to the school of your choice. The children are then picked using a lottery system. The waiting list for these schools can be very long, so if you want your child to attend it would be advantageous to apply very early. Charter schools have a responsibility to their students to make sure they meet their academic goals, or the schools that are poor performing could be subject to closure. There are three basic principles that charter schools operate by accountability, choice, and autonomy.

Charter schools are held accountable for how well they educate children in a safe, responsible environment. They must operate with the highest regard for excellence. They are judged by how well they manage the school’s finances. If they fail to deliver, they are closed. Choice: Parents, teachers, and community groups or individuals interested in creating educational opportunities can start a charter school. Local and state school boards and even universities can sponsor charter schools. Teachers are chosen to teach at charter schools; they are not subjected to the rigid requirements that traditional public schools require.

Charter schools are free from traditional bureaucracy and regulations that some feel divert a public school’s energy and resources toward compliance rather than excellence. Charter schools are funded the same way as public schools, so whichever school your child attends, that is where the money goes.The advantages over the public schools are the teachers are less stressed because they don’t have as many children in each classroom. The children in charter schools are still able to enjoy extracurricular activities such as music and art.

Ever since the 19^th century, public education was the main foundation of education for children. There are advantages to children attending public schools.One advantage is, of course, it is free to attend; they also have trained, certified teachers and administration. There are people who believe charter schools are taking money away from public schools, but they are funded the same way, by the government. Public schools must follow state guidelines that outline teaching standards and testing procedures. This creates a certain amount of quality control over academic subjects such as reading and math.

With education standards set by the state, some criticize the rigid curriculum that many public schools offer. Funding problems have forced many public schools to reduce teaching staff and cut back on classes that are outside the state’s core curriculum. Anyone who has children that attend public schools can attest to the fact that school officials are always complaining that their school doesn’t have money for extracurricular activities for the children. They are constantly cutting important programs like music, art, and gym. At the beginning of the school year, the children are sent home with a page-long list of things they need to bring to school that should be supplied by the schools.

Charter schools usually raise massive amounts of money from private sources for spending on children. Charter schools are subjected to the No Child Left Behind Act because they are funded by the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and are considered public schools. NCLB’s main objective is to have students “proficient” in the basics. The charter school law requires accountability, so schools have to produce an adequate yearly progress report similar to the traditional public school. Therefore, charter schools must make satisfactory improvement each year toward the goals of NCLB.

Children in public schools usually live in the same neighborhood as the schools they attend. Parents don’t have the option of picking the school they want their child to attend. If they do their research on the school in their neighborhood and find out that it is one of the schools that have a poor performance record, they do not have the option to say they want their child to go to a different school. Even if parents wanted to expose their children to others of different cultures, that is not an option. Children cannot go to a school that is not assigned to them. Charter schools are able to take children no matter where they live, so children can be mixed with children from different neighborhoods and different cultures. Public schools have tried to address racial segregation by creating magnet schools. These schools are public and can draw students from different income and racial groups often by offering special programs, such as math, engineering, and environmental sciences.

Public and charter schools are not very different. The biggest difference is the innovative style of education encouraged in charter schools. Each system has their downfalls, whether it is students, location, teachers, or administrators. However, there is the common goal of educating children with the basics needed to survive in society. The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 is making it more challenging for both systems to compete for student and parent attention in their districts. Financial assistance has aided charter schools to accomplish their goals of making a school system without many boundaries. Students and parents have to participate in the educating of children. Do the research yourself; investigate what is important to you as to whether you want your child attending a charter school or a traditional public school. Be sure to visit any school you are considering and talk to other parents whose children have attended the school. Look at the school’s rating to make sure your child is getting the best education possible.