Commentary
U.S. Sen. Tim Scott recently introduced the
High-Quality Charter Schools Act, which would establish a tax credit for donations made to eligible nonprofit charter school organizations. Under the bill, a tax credit equal to 75 percent of qualified contributions would be provided. This act would help increase the supply of charter schools, providing more parents with access to educational options outside their residentially assigned district public school.
According to a May 21
press release on Sen. Scott’s website, “In communities across the country, the demand for high-quality charter schools far exceeds the supply, due to the initial start-up cost of opening a new charter school, which can cost anywhere from $2 to $20 million.”
Additionally, on May 16, during National Charter School Week, the Department of Education
announced a $60 million funding increase this year for the Charter Schools Program.
Education Secretary Linda McMahon
explained: “Not only are we proposing a future $60 million increase in the program budget, but we are also dedicating an additional $60 million in this year’s funding. With more dollars going toward education choice and a new grant opportunity to help highlight best practices, we hope to pave the way for more choices, better outcomes, and life-changing opportunities for students and families.”
This new investment in charter school programs, combined with the extensive expansion of school choice legislation over the past four years, creates a far-reaching market demand for education options outside the residentially assigned district public school.
Regarding private school choice, since 2021,
16 states have enacted universal school choice, and other states have created new programs or expanded eligibility in existing programs. With demand increasing dramatically, it is paramount that the supply of alternative education options keeps pace.
An essential component of school expansion—whether a new school or the growth of an existing school—is an adequate number of teachers to staff classrooms.
Public schools are plagued by staffing challenges. According to a
new report, for the 2023–2024 school year, “86% of public schools reported difficulties hiring teachers,” and “16% of teachers left their schools between 2020 and 2022.”
Additionally, per the report, only 20 percent of “teachers say they are very satisfied with their job.” And only 16 percent of teachers “recommend the teaching profession to others.”
There are many reasons why teachers are dissatisfied and leaving the profession.
Within district public schools, the reasons are increasingly related to woke agendas prioritized within school practices, policies, and curriculum. Many educators do not want to be forced to follow, enforce, and teach these radical ideologies. Additionally, the so-called restorative justice philosophy that fails to hold all students accountable for behavior, and the growing
violence on K–12 campuses, are causing teachers to exit their schools. In many cases, they are leaving the public education system entirely.
Furthermore, the seniority salary schedule that fails to recognize professional performance, subject matter expertise, and related outside experience makes traditional public schools less attractive to enter or remain for high-quality teachers.
For charter schools and private schools, the challenges related to recruiting and retaining teachers frequently center on school culture and leadership, which can more easily be remedied once accurately and specifically diagnosed. Yet, typically, school leaders are unsure how to resolve their recruitment and retention issues, or they would have done so already.
With the increasing demand for these education options, it’s essential that the teacher recruitment and retention problems hindering school flourishing and growth are adequately addressed. Arcadia Education’s faculty assessment is an example of a practical tool that can provide a timely solution, arming administrators with actionable insight into their school setting them on a course for success in attracting and keeping high-quality teachers.
As more public school educators exit the system, there will be a timely opportunity for charter schools and private schools to recruit the best and the brightest who align with the school’s mission. With a strong pipeline of educators flowing to charter schools and private schools, and solid retention of existing quality faculty members, these education alternatives will not only be better positioned to meet the rapidly increasing demand but will also be able to exercise the necessary selectivity in staffing. The ultimate beneficiaries will be students.
Views expressed in this article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
