#13 - Growth of Charter Schools and Other Educational Alternatives

CHARTER SCHOOLS

Parents who want better alternatives for their children's education, better than is available in the failing union-controlled traditional public schools support the charter schools movement. They find themselves in strong opposition from the established education unions like the CTA (California Teachers Association).

In 1992 California Governor Pete Wilson signed SB1448 to implement the California public charter school law. California joined charter schools in Minnesota as the second state authorizing charter schools. Parents see favor charters as a way to give them greater control of their children's education. Unions see charter schools as a threat to their power, funding and membership.

For low-income and minority students they consistently outperform traditional public schools in math and reading achievement scores.

Over time this battle has only intensified and central to fight is who should direct their children's education – families seeking better options and charter schools willing to innovate, or entrenched unions and institutions who want to continue the existing public schools system.

HOME SCHOOLING

Home schooling is another threat to teachers union control and is also a result of parents dissatisfaction with the traditional public school system. Homeschooling in California increase by 78% in the five years for 2017 and 2022 according to The Center Square and the Washington Post.

The source for much of this story was from the California Center Square November 1, 2023 by Kenneth Schrupp.