Black families unsatisfied with traditional public schools are flocking to Washington, D.C.’s charter schools.
In the 2014 to 2015 school year, 83 percent of the students in Washington charter schools were black, according to the D.C. Public Charter School Board’s latest annual report. In Washington’s traditional public schools, only 67 percent of the student population is black, down from 71 percent in the 2011 to 2012 school year.
Almost 38,000 students attend charter schools in Washington, whereas nearly 48,000 students attend traditional public schools.
There are a number of reasons black families might prefer charter schools to traditional public schools.
“Parents like the quality education, academic rigor, diverse programs and innovative approaches that public charter schools offer,” Darren Woodruff, Chairman of the D.C. Public Charter School Board, told the Washington Examiner. “And they particularly appreciate the many choices available, including Montessori, extended day, year-around, language immersion and more.”
“In Washington, D.C. public charter schools are just one option that low-income and working class black families can choose for a high quality education,” Jacqueline Cooper, the interim president of the Black Alliance for Educational Options, told the Examiner. “Many public charter schools give families real hope that their children will be able to become economically independent adults and engage in the practice of freedom. … The Black Alliance for Educational Options believes that America should not be a place where only people with financial resources and privilege get to decide where and how their children are educated. As a result, we advocate for low-income and working class black families to have the same access to high quality educational options in traditional public schools, public charter schools and private schools. ”
Charter schools are funded but not operated by the D.C. government. They do not charge tuition and they are open to all students, but they often don’t have enough space to meet demand. They use a lottery system to determine admission. Compared to traditional public schools, charter schools have more independence in their operations and curriculum, which is why so many families find charter schools desirable.
