Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Shirley Johnson
Sam Houston State University
Steve Busch
University of Houston
ABSTRACT
The focus of this discussion reflects the practical variables that differentiate four very
successful charter schools throughout Texas from most traditional public school systems.
There are seven concepts addressed that describe difference between charter and
traditional public schools. Additionally, concepts are presented that traditional public
schools can implement to improve school culture and climate while addressing student
achievement.
that relate to anything that does not bolster the academic program. The
only variances are usually courses or elective offerings that relate to
the culture of the particular school since each of these charter districts
provide the school leader an opportunity to shape the focus of the
school to either the community or a particular philosophy (i.e.
community service, math, science). Scheduling in these charters is
designed to support the instructional program; scheduling is not driven
by the needs of an overpowering extracurricular program that does not
broadly contribute to student achievement. There are more similarities
among elementary schedules between the charter schools and public
school than in the secondary programs.
In Conclusion
The old adage of living in the forest often precludes being able
to see the trees. In the case of education, we become comfortable with
status quo school cultures and find excuses to explain away slipping
performance and failure to respond to whirling global demands.
Familiarity allows educators to maintain the usual, fail to see and
understand what has eroded instructional effectiveness and label
variables outside of our control as the culprit for lagging student
achievement. The result creates a serious blindness to the real
problems and prohibits effective change of mental models.
Systemic Misunderstanding
Finally
The successful charter schools are not bound by all of the same
regulations as traditional public schools; however, for practical
purposes they function in much the same way as do traditional public
schools. The charter schools that perform at acceptable and less levels
of performance cannot necessarily contribute to the body of
knowledge regarding performance because their student performance
is very similar to many urban or inner city schools and less than many
rural and suburban schools in Texas (Texas Education Agency, 2006).
REFERENCES