As the pandemic begins to recede, educators are looking back. What worked in K-12 education? What didn’t?
For the state’s charter schools, a look-back is common practice. In fact, statute mandates an annual charter report to assess the “educational effectiveness” of the state’s charter schools.
A challenging year for charter schools
Like all schools, charter schools experienced an especially difficult year in 2020. Recently, the State Board of Education (SBE) learned how charters responded. On SBE’s May agenda: a discussion of the new annual charter report for 2020. As it turns out, charter schools have helped lead the way during the pandemic.
In a new op-Ed published by North State Journal, the Coalition’s executive director, Lindalyn Kakadelis, provides a run-down on some of the ways they did it:
… Charter teachers worked to ensure continuity and efficacy in communication, utilizing an array of tools strategies, and platforms. Nine out of 10 charter teachers combined synchronous and asynchronous lessons, the charter report notes. Eight in 10 used video conferencing and written comments to give students feedback, as well as communicating with parents via remote and face-to-face conferences. Seven in 10 charter teachers provided tutoring and targeted help for students.
Charter teachers also kept close tabs on student well-being. At almost all charters — 97% — teachers conducted regular check-ins with students on academic and personal issues. Nearly two-thirds of charter teachers conducted consistent social-emotional check-ins with their students as well, the charter report found. Such comprehensive oversight, while demanding for teachers, undoubtedly helped keep more students on track during the protracted time of remote learning.
We applaud the state’s charter schools! Read more of the op-Ed here.
