Charter Schools

Charter schools, the DOE’s secret gem

By Lilia Auld

      For many students, the idea of charter schools may seem foreign, even out of their reach.  In fact, a lot of people think that charter schools are not public schools, but perhaps private schools.  But the truth is, charter schools have been part of the public school program for over 10 years and there are many beneficial aspects of the charter schools as learning environments.  But like anything, there are advantages and disadvantages of these remarkable schools, including the 31 just on the Big Island alone.

Charter schools are much smaller than public schools. In 2012, the average number of students enrolling in charter schools was 286.  Although charter schools in general are much smaller, they are able to provide learning environments for students unlike the large student population in traditional public schools. Charter schools are also able to provide students personalization that you can’t find in normal public schools. For instance, there are charter schools on Big Island that focus on Hawaiian Language / Hawaiian History, Natural Energy, and many others. On the Big Island alone, there are 31 charter schools.

Some advantages of attending a charter school is that it provides individualized assistance for students. Meaning, that unlike public schools, charter schools are independent of the curriculum set by the state. Teachers in charter schools can provide a more custom-fit learning environment for their students. If a student is having trouble in one specific area, teachers could focus on that area and create an individualized learning plan to help the student. 

One of the best things about charter schools is the community feeling it provides. Due to the smaller class sizes and lower number of students, students often get a community feeling with other students and faculty. As a prior charter school student, I can agree wholeheartedly. At Ka ‘Umeke Ka’eo, a charter school I attended previously before Waiakea, I had the same students in my class from kindergarten to 8th grade, and was good friends with all of them. Since I also had the same teachers almost every year, I was very close to all teachers and even my parents knew all teachers and were on first-name bases.

Charter schools are also the best choice long-term. Studies have shown that kids who attend charter schools will have a higher chance to get into top universities afterwards. This is probably due to the fact that their curriculum is according to the individual preferences of students. 

Though there are many advantages to charter schools, there are also disadvantages. For instance, due to the size of charter schools, they can only accept a certain number of students each year. After all spots are filled, students will then go on a waiting list. 

One thing I  experienced after going from a charter school to a public school was the social aspect. At a charter school, the people surrounding you are the same people you have known your whole life. Because of this, you aren’t able to meet new people and make more friends. This is very unlike public schools where there are so many students and new students are always coming in that you always meet new people. 

Though there are many pros and cons to attending a charter school, I think charter schools are always a good choice for the education of students and parents should sit down, do research, and determine what's best for their families.