EDUCATION

Charter Schools/

continued from page 1 because they are more likely to live in poverty, attend underfunded and understaffed schools, and be more likely to be expelled or suspended from school. In 2020, over 20% of black and 18% of Hispanic children lived in poverty, compared to 7% of white children, while in 2018–2019, black students were sent out of school three times more than white students.

Yet education remains a crucial strategy to help black and brown children overcome challenges, grow to their full potential, and contribute to their communities.

Educational Disparities Faced by Black and Brown Children

Data consistently shows a persistent achievement gap between public school students from black and brown communities and their white counterparts. For instance, in 2019, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) test scores revealed a significant gap in test scores between ethnic and racial groups. According to the report, while 35% of white students scored proficiently, only 13% of black and 19% of Hispanic students achieved proficiency in 8th-grade math.

A related study by the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights reveals that black students are disproportionately suspended and expelled compared to their white counterparts, starting as early as preschool and at a higher rate.

Disparities

Several factors contribute to the disparities in public schools, many are systemic, and they affect many black and brown students. For instance, school funding is a significant challenge many schools in black and brown communities face because they are mostly underfunded, which results in difficulty in providing students with a quality education.

Secondly, many schools in minority communities have fewer experienced and qualified teachers. They are also unable to discipline the students, leading to a high level of suspension among black and brown students compared to white students, even if the latter group commits the same offenses.

Additionally, the curriculum used in black and brown communities' schools is experiences. Furthermore, minority students are likelier to attend schools segregated by race and poverty.

Most of these disparities contribute to adverse long-term academic outcomes and limited future opportunities for children from these minority groups.

Charter Schools as a Potential Solution

Charter schools play a significant role in the education system. Remarkably, they contribute to the diversification of the educational system by offering an alternative to traditional public schools. They are private organizations governed by separate rules and regulations. Their mission is to provide innovative approaches to quality education for underserved students. One of their critical assets is the freedom to explore new teaching curricula and methods of delivery.

Yet, they have remained controversial, especially in New York, since their inception in 1998, with numerous arguments for and against their existence. While some believe they are a valuable alternative to traditional public schools, others believe they drain public resources and deter students from attending the best public schools.

Those supporting charter schools argue that they positively impact their children's achievement even though they are more rigorous. Specifically, their existence provides an alternative option for parents to choose from. Moreover, they are more innovative in their teaching approach and generally more accountable than traditional public schools. However, some opponents of the option argue against all the positive points linked to its existence. For instance, they believe that despite the rigor of the approach, it does not necessarily positively impact students' achievement. Furthermore, they maintain the age-old argument that charter schools prevent public schools from getting the resources that traditional public schools require to cater to a larger population of students. They also argue that they do not undergo the same level of accountability screening and tend to be elitist in approach, causing segregation in the public school system.

For instance, one of the famous charter schools in New York City, Success continued on page 5