By Jamar Younger
National Charter Schools Week is a time to raise awareness and celebrate the accomplishments of public charter schools across the country.
In Arizona, we have a lot to celebrate.
Charter schools have become a preferred choice for parents, with about 180,000 students attending one of 547 charter schools across the state. That’s an increase of nearly 10,000 students – or 5.8 percent – over the last school year alone.
Nationally, there are about 1 million students nationwide who are on waiting lists to attend a public charter school.
These schools offer a diverse array of options for families.
There are STEM-focused schools such as 2016 Charter School of the Year Academy of Math and Science-Tucson, and charters that specialize in arts education, including Metropolitan Arts Institute in Central Phoenix.
There are also a number of schools that purposely aim to educate students in underserved communities, including Midtown Primary in Central Phoenix, Mexicayotl Academy in Nogales and NFL Yet College Prep in South Phoenix. These schools are shining examples of how innovation and grit can bring success for students in any zip code.
Together with hundreds of other public charters with varying specialties, these schools have helped fuel the rapid growth of charters in Arizona.
Academic success has also helped increase the popularity of charters.
For the last two years, charter students in our state have outperformed the state average on the AzMERIT assessment. In fact, if Arizona public charter students were separated and measured as their own state, it would rank among a handful of the top-performing states in the entire country on the Nation’s Report Card, the National Assessment of Educational Progress.
Additionally, five Arizona charter schools were named among the Top 10 high schools in the country, according to U.S. News and World Report.
These accomplishments have helped charters draw support not only from parents, but also from state lawmakers and Gov. Doug Ducey, who issued a Proclamation in honor of National Charter Schools Week.
As we celebrate Charter Schools Week, this is a time to reflect on why charters are an important piece of Arizona’s landscape and why we must continue to ensure quality choices for families.
