What’s the history behind Arizona’s charter school lead?
Because Arizona opened charter schools in the mid-1990s, parents have gotten accustomed to a certain level of choice. Charters lead the way in choice, but there are other mechanisms such as magnet and International Baccalaureate schools. And we have open enrollment, so you can cross district boundaries. That’s a natural progression of choice. Q: What are the arguments in favor of charter schools? Charter schools are public schools that innovate, while still being held accountable for student achievement. They lead the way for many productive changes such as competition. For example, when a charter school has established itself, some districts will then start a magnet school a mile down the road in response. Charter schools are forcing districts to rethink the way they’re providing education to our students. Q: What do the critics say? Probably the most prevalent criticism leveled at charter schools is that they take money away from district schools. However, if there wasn’t a demand fr
