Harder for Converted Charters?

Charter schools seem to be popping up left and right in inner cities across the country, including Baltimore. With so many schools failing to meet the AYP and provide educational opportunities to the neediest students, charter schools are offering parents and students an alternative solution. Although the goal of charters is to undoubtedly help students succeed data shows that some charters flop while others soar. I teach at one of the lowest performing schools (according to standardized tests) in the city that is a converted charter. The school is extremely well supported by the charter operator. However, since teaching I have often wondered why is it that my charter school can’t keep up with others? Is there something more valuable in a start up charter rather than a school that converts to charter status?

The U.S. Department of Education’s website provides recommendations on how to create an effective charter and further highlights eight outstanding charters. One component of charter school success followed the creation of a mission that students, parents, teachers and staff bought into and worked to make happen. In a start up charter, everyone has to buy in or else you don’t get hired. In a converted charter you can manage to pretend to agree with the mission and stay, just so you don’t get fired. Additionally, there needs to be high parent and community involvement. The site also notes that “parents choose to send their students” to charter schools. Yet, in the case of a converted charter a parent could continue sending their child to the school, totally unaware of the charter status, especially if it is a neighborhood school. I believe that converted charters have an extraordinary potential to be successful. However, unlike a start up charters that get the opportunity to hire new and start from the ground up, converted charters face the challenge of weeding out those who do not support and act in favor of the school’s mission.