More than half of all teachers oppose charter schools, according to a recent survey.
The overwhelming majority of teachers oppose the expansion of charter schools in the United States, according to a recent survey. More than half of all teachers who responded to the survey said they opposed charter schools, while only one in five said they supported them. The poll was conducted by Phi Delta Kappa International and Gallup, with 1,500 educators across the country taking part. Of those who responded, more than half said they opposed charter schools for financial reasons.
Charter schools are publicly funded but privately run institutions that were first introduced in 1992. They are free from many state regulations and are able to set their own curriculum and standards. They also tend to be smaller than traditional public schools, with an average class size of 15 students compared to 25 or more at other public institutions.
While some teachers support charter schools for providing opportunities for students who would otherwise be unable to afford private education, others believe that these independent institutions take funding away from traditional public school systems. As well as this, there is concern over whether or not these privately run institutions provide a quality education.
