Most of what we’ve talked about regarding the budget and the cuts that would result from it has to do with the public schools. But in the background of all this is charter schools, which will also be affected by what the Lege does with the budget, and possibly by other legislation. Some charter school proponents were recently in Austin touting various bills to help them. I don’t know about you, but I don’t feel like I really know enough about charter schools, which whatever your opinion of them are an important part of the educational landscape. So in order to educate myself a little, I asked Chris Barbic, the founder and CEO of the YES Prep schools if I could interview him, and he graciously agreed. Here’s what we talked about:
I got a lot out of that, and I hope you do, too. The main thing is that I think I had always somehow pictured public schools and charter schools as being in conflict, or at least in competition, but now I don’t see it that way at all. In an ideal world, it’s more of a convergence, even a symbiosis. Take a listen and let me know what you think.
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My son attended charter schools in 7th and 8th grade because he was going through an awkward emotional stage and I didn’t feel he should deal with the my parents are better than your parents hierarchy of our local Jr High. I’d been through that trauma with his sister and she was much tougher than he.
I would have left him in charter schools except for BOTH the counselor,his teachers AND the principal. ALL said he was wasting his time at the charter school. They could not offer AP courses or any advanced enough course but just cover the basics. So off he went to the local high school for 9th-12th. AP classes,Nat’l Honor Society,Tennis team,class officer, who’s who and multiple academic scholarships later he graduates from Baylor Univ. in May.
The charter school was both a blessing in that it was a respite from social competition and a trial as it seemed every kid who was expelled from the local public school ended up there.
They serve a purpose…insulating the student… but will never be able to compete with a good sound local public school.
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