Charter Schools and Public Schools in Texas

Across the United States (U.S.) education is at the forefront of reform and reinvention. A popular alternative to traditional public schools are publically-controlled charter schools (Funkhouser, 2000). In Texas, a leader in innovation, especially in the area of education, the charter school option allows students to receive the state mandated education without the bureaucracy, hierarchy, and authoritative rule of the traditional public school (Cowen, 2008). There is significant debate about whether students who attend charter schools versus traditional public schools receive the same standards of education, and if that standard is of equal or lesser value. The purpose of this study is to examine whether or not charter schools are a viable option for Texas students and their families. Many urban Texas children now have the option of a charter school in their area. Whether or not that option is better than the traditional school available for the individual child, can be hard for the parents to determine.