Someone I know got her son into charter school and every time she is talking how tough the syllabus is and how it is far better than public schools. It seems they have too many clubs etc etc and kids fare better there..Is it true?
Yes. Charter school are academic, sports oriented. It depends on your child if its the right school. I have spoken to few friends whose kids are in charter, all their kids started from Kinder and they say that it does give children a perspective of rigorous academic to be the norm. I am trying to get my kid into a charter school. I am choosing to go with charter school as, I can enroll my kid in sports instead of after school care. Thats my only incentive to looking into charter. If its not the right school for my kid. I wont hesitate to look something that is more suitable for him. School doesn't shape kids, it doesn't matter which school your kid goes to. Your kid should excel in an environment thats suitable for them.
I have read up in this topic before, spoke with some people whom I thought were smarter than me. I had these same questions when DD was starting school - which school should send her to. I lived in a city where not much Indians were there, also who ever Indians I met were either a grad student or a faculty in the College I went to. They all have same opinion - Just because the kid went to charter school, it doesn't make them any better than a kid goes to regular public school. But I had only few comparisons so this might not be a good set of data and all were Americans. First person was my advisor in grad school - she went to regular public school while her sister attended charter school. Her sister has a regular job where as my advisor is quite well known person in her area of work - she even has papers published along with some of the professors from University of Cambridge and Imperial college in UK. Second person was my colleague who was from very small town, he attended local public school, went on to college, and got admitted to University of California, Berkeley. Now has a nice job in NYC. Third person I spoke to was home schooled until highschool - he and his brother were in grad school and his brother went on to get a PhD. What he said is, home school did instill some values, but he was a little shy and introvert when he came to college. But I have seen their presentations and teaching classes, I cannot tell if they were different from other people who had a different school education. Fourth person was again a grad student friend - who came from a small town public school, attended regular college got a prestigious scholarship to go to UK for masters, now he is at Yale for his PhD. Everyone had one thing in common, they worked hard and they went for what they thought is best for them and gave it all. Every kid is different, as parents we just have to find what works for them.
Just like any school, some are good, some are just ok. We toured a Charter school in our city earlier this year. It is on campus so it would have made it easier for all of us to commute together. Things I liked about the school- High emphasis on STEM curriculum and variety of after school clubs. But there is no guarantee to get admitted because they are full capacity and only taking new students by a lottery system. We didn't get in and that's fine. Our elementary school is very good but has less emphasis on STEM compared to the Charter school and we don't have a lot of after school clubs to choose from but other public schools do have plenty to chose from. Things I like about our school is that it is smaller and the class size is capped at 20. It has a large open area for outdoor activities. Our sn goes to afterschool only one day a week so it is not our priority. I went to Government schools in India and my husband went to public school in a small town in MidWest USA. He graduated from an Ivy League University. Most of my colleagues went to public schools. As @blindpup10 said- school doesn't shape a kid.
In general charter schools has more opportunities than public school . But if parents are proactive they can provide similar opportunities. The result depends on individual kid if they are interested and passionate about given opportunity there is lot of scope to excel in charter school . In public school money and time need to be shelled out for parents pocket to achieve similar results
Just wondering: Volunteer hours: Do charter schools in your city or district have mandatory parent participation? Like, each child's parent should volunteer in school for 10 hours a month? Monetary donations: Do you have to give some money per year for programs the school runs? In my area, I believe charter schools ask for donations but if parents don't give, it is fine. The volunteer hours are required. Some parents choose work that can be done at home or in evenings/weekend.
Both of my kids didn’t get into charter school . Only thing I’m aware of this volunteer hours not sure about donation .