Racial Education Achievement Gap And Charter Schools

The Racial Education Achievement Gap and Charter Schools

On June 4, 1991, the State of Minnesota enacted the first of America’s charter school systems (Finn and Wright). Since that day the charter school debate has spread throughout the United States. Charter schools are not the only issue tearing members of the Educational world apart. With the decision of the U.S. Supreme Court in the case of Brown vs. Board of Education segregation in American schools became illegal (PBS). Even with the end of educational segregation the gap in educational achievement between white and minority students still exist today. Charter schools and the racial achievement gap seem to be controversial issues that boils down to one question: do charter schools help

The NEA, or National Education Association, gave their own reasons for why such a gap exist in a desegregated modern America. The NEA’s discussion on the subjects gives us factors from inside and outside the schools themselves. The NEA cites many factors that could contribute to and perpetuate the achievement gap. The factors include: “Low expectations for student achievement, Unsafe schools, Poor, or no, instructional leadership.” (NEA). The discussion also provides some factors in minority communities and families that contribute to the gap. Some of the factors discussed, “Economic opportunity for students' families, Access to libraries, museums, and other institutions that support students' development; and Access to child care and after-school programs and facilities.” (NEA). Another factor may be the lack of minority teachers in America. On February 1, 2017, USA Today published an article on the topic of the lack of these minority teachers. The article gives some stats regarding the lack of minority teachers, “In those 17 states, non-white students accounted for 18.4% of students, on average. But just 3.3% of teachers were non-white.” (USA Today). These factors do contribute to the achievement gap, but what is the solution to fixing this problem. Some say it is charter

In an August 30, 2016, article by author Arianna Prothero, and published by Education Week. Leaders in black communities around the nation called for fewer charter schools in their neighborhoods. The root of their argument is, “Black families and communities are losing control of their public schools.” (Prothero). Although the original intent of these charter schools was to give control of the schools to the parents and the community leaders many of these community leaders feel they only hurt students of the charter school themselves and the surrounding public school in their community. The leaders of the communities feel that when charter schools enter the community they lose control and that the new school hurts the existing school by taking funding and only furthers the gap. They fear when people from outside the community come and take over the schools their children are educated by people who care for them and their community. The feeling of these leaders is that that loss of that personal connection between the communities and the schools only worsens the achievement disparity in American Education