The Post looked back over the history of charter schools, observing
"It has been two decades since the first public charter school opened in Minnesota, conceived as a laboratory where innovations could be tested before their introduction into public schools. Now, 42 states encourage charters as an alternative to conventional schools, and enrollment has been growing, particularly in cities."
But like so much in public education, charter schools are controversial. In New Orleans, the controversy concerns (1) losing the sense of community that comes with a neighborhood school, (2) racial equality, and (3) turning over school management to independent operators who seem less accountable to parents and students, the Post reports.
On the other hand, some charters have shown marked improvement in student performance. According to the Post,
"By most indicators, school quality and academic progress have improved in Katrina’s aftermath, although it’s difficult to make direct comparisons because the student population changed drastically after the hurricane [Katrina], with thousands of students not returning."
