Charter Schools Are Growing, and Here's Why

Despite the challenges of the pandemic, charter schools across the country have continued to grow, gaining close to 240,000 students last year alone. According to the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, charter school enrollment grew by a whopping 7% in 2021. In the new year, there are many reasons to believe that charter schools will continue to experience growth. 

The data shows that charter school enrollment grew in many different types of communities. In a handful of states, virtual charter schools accounted for much of the enrollment change. Oklahoma, for example, saw tremendous growth in virtual enrollment – more than 35,000 students. But not all growth was due to full-time virtual schools. Texas for example, came in second place with slightly more than 29,000 students, and that was for in-person learning. 

The growth of charter schools is not likely to stop. Especially now that there are millions of available dollars in funding. About a month ago, former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced he would spend $750 million over the next five years to expand charter schools in the country. 

 According to Bloomberg, "the new five-year program will help close student achievement gaps and create an additional 150,000 seats at high quality charter schools in 20 U.S. metro areas". Bloomberg Philanthropies will be investing in public charter schools whose student populations have been deeply impacted by the pandemic. They will partner with local and national organizations to:

• Provide seed funding for incubating and opening new high quality charter schools with an emphasis on new models that appeal to students and families.
• Build and upgrade school facilities.
• Provide teacher, principal and other school leader training and support.
• Support charter schoolteachers and leaders of color so charter school leadership can accurately reflect the diversity of their students.
• Conduct and publish research on key drivers of student achievement across charter schools supported by this investment.

The above information comes from Bloomberg.org

It's important to note that Bloomberg's goal is to improve in-person education, and in-person education only. He is a proponent of the education system and believes that students learn best when they can be present in the classroom.

After close to two years of social distancing, many students are headed back to the classroom. Whether it’s full-time, blended learning, or PPE is enforced, schools across the country are trying to get back to a new “normal” for their students. "There are so many advantages to on-site learning. Children need the socialization that comes with being in school," says Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center at the Children's Hospital in Philadelphia CNN Health.

There is a plethora of benefits to in-person learning besides just socialization. For some students it could be a school-provided lunch, and for others it could be a safe place from an abusive situation at home. In-person classrooms offer a lot of benefits to students for both their academic and interpersonal development. While it can be challenging to navigate our current health crisis, it is still possible to achieve a common goal moving forward.

As student enrollment increases and charter schools rise in popularity, you may experience overcrowding in your charter school. If so, it may be time to expand your facilities. As a rule of thumb, a teacher-to-student ratio of 1:15 is ideal. Anything more than this can contribute to decreased learning, increased distractions, and lower test scores to name a few.  

Charter schools are ideal candidates for modular classrooms, as you don’t need a lot of upfront capital to obtain the facilities. They can be easily leased or financed and are much more affordable than traditional construction methods.

Modular classrooms are prefabricated buildings that are made in an offsite factory, and then transported to your site by truck. They can be thought of as Legos, easily connected in parts or even as standalone structures. They came in a variety of options, including:

• Temporary classrooms that are ready to be delivered and installed to your site.
• Permanent modular construction that lasts a lifetime.
• Modular classrooms that include diverse layouts- such as offices, classrooms, cafeteria space, restrooms, locker rooms, and more.

Modular classroom buildings come in many shapes and sizes, but at the end of the day it is the construction method in which they are built which makes them unique. You may hear them referred to as different names, but they are all built with modular assembly:

• Portable classrooms
• Prefabricated classrooms
• Classroom trailers
• Mobile classrooms
• Classroom portables

Modular classrooms truly are a great solution when you are starting or expanding a charter school. We offer a complete guide on the modular classroom buying experience, if you would like learn more about the process. Otherwise, if you are ready to receive a free quote, then contact us today!