Charter schools offer students a choice
We are constantly bombarded with news about our failing public education school system, but did you know that there is a group of public schools in Fresno County that outperform traditional public schools in many areas?
They’re charter public schools – tuition-free, publicly funded schools that are sanctioned by local school districts. In Fresno County, there are 36 charter public schools serving 11,085 students from diverse backgrounds. These schools are successful because they are accountable and offer specialized, flexible curriculum. A shining example is University High School, on my campus, Fresno State.
According to their website, they are ranked 81st best in the nation, seventh best in the state and the 28th best charter in the country. I knew next to nothing about charter public schools, but after researching them, I believe they are a viable and proven way to increase the education levels of San Joaquin Valley students.
Visit ccsa.org to learn more and support our local charter public schools.
Patti Cortez, Reedley
This story was originally published November 20, 2016 at 2:01 PM with the headline "Charter schools offer students a choice."