Results - Other Problems
Nearly all charter schools face implementation obstacles, but
newly created schools are most vulnerable. Some charter advocates
claim that new charters tend to be plagued by resource limitations,
particularly inadequate startup funds. Yet charter schools also
attract large amounts of interest and money from private foundations
such as the Gates Foundation, the Walton Family Foundation and the
Broad Foundation.
Although charter advocates recommend the schools control all
per-pupil funds, charter advocates claim that their schools rarely
receive as much funding as other public schools. But in reality,
this is not necessarily the case in the complex world of school
funding. Charter schools in California were guaranteed a set amount
of district funding that in some districts amounted to $800 per
student per year more than non-charter (traditional public schools)
received until a new law was passed that took effect in fall 2006.
Charter advocates claim that their schools generally lack access to
funding for facilities and special program funds distributed on a
district basis[22].
Sometimes private businesses and foundations, such as the Ameritech
Corporation in Michigan and the Annenburg Fund in California,
provide support[23].
Congress and the President allocated $80 million to support
charter-school activities in fiscal year 1998, up from $51 million
in 1997.
Charters sometimes face opposition from local boards, state
education agencies, and unions[24].
Many educators are concerned that charter schools might siphon off
badly needed funds for regular schools, as well as students. In
addition, public-school advocates assert that charter schools are
designed to compete with public schools in a destructive and harmful
manner rather than work in harmony with them. The American
Federation of Teachers urges that charter schools adopt high
standards, hire only certified teachers, and maintain teachers'
collective-bargaining rights. Also, some charters feel they face
unwieldy regulatory barriers.
According to Bierlein and Bateman, the odds are stacked against
charter schools. Charter-school critics dispute this. There may be
too few strong-law states to make a significant difference.
Educators who are motivated enough to create and manage charter
schools could easily be burnt out by a process that demands
increased accountability while providing little professional
assistance. |