Education Magazine

Excellence In Education Lincoln Daily News January 25, 2023 Page 7 Understanding the advantages and disadvantages of Charter and Magnet Schools January 22-28 is National School Choice Week. During that time, more information is available to parents looking at the variety of options when it comes to K-12 education. These options include traditional public schooling, private options, charter schools, and magnet schools. Most parents arguably know about public and traditional private schools. They tend to know about the various districts at their disposal, or which schools have what requirements to attend and so on. But there can be confusion over the differences between traditional schools and institutions like magnet schools or charter schools. Even the names lead to questions. What makes a school a magnet school? Or a charter school? Illinois Charter Schools Charter schools are publicly-funded and tuition-free, but they differ from traditional public schools in a few areas. Illinois has more than 130 public charter schools, most of which are in Chicago and the surrounding region. Charter schools are public schools operated by nonprofit or for-profit organizations. Although these schools receive public funding, charter schools are exempt from many of the requirements imposed by state and local boards of education. This means that they are in charge of their own practices regarding hiring teachers and developing curricula, so long as they follow a charter. Charter schools typically receive a percentage of per-pupil funds from state and local school districts after any start-up costs or facility expenses. These figures are based on enrollment levels. This means that they must rely on private donations to obtain any missing but necessary revenue. The federal government also provides revenue through special grants. As public schools, charter schools cannot charge tuition or impose special entrance requirements. Additionally, students are sometimes admitted by lottery if demand exceeds the number of spaces available. Individual charter schools can tailor their curriculum, academic focus, disciplinary policies, and other such matters, to their student populations. Each charter explains the school’s purpose and what specific community needs it is looking to serve. That could be providing a language program, focusing on literacy-based education, or prioritizing some learning styles over others. Some schools may focus on arts or theater. Others may MAKINGTHE RIGHT CHOICES FOR YOUR CHILD Continued --