The Times Australia
The Times World News

.

As new charter schools open, we still know too little about how they worked last time

  • Written by Jude MacArthur, Senior Lecturer, School of Critical Studies in Education, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau

Seven new charter schools are opening their gates, and ACT leader and Associate Education Minister David Seymour – the politician responsible for their existence – has been singing their praises[1].

He says some will deliver “new and innovative ways to help students who are struggling at school to succeed, especially neurodiverse students, where there is huge need”.

Seymour also says charter schools will free teachers from “constant upheavals in education” policy and provide the flexibility to “allow them to better cater to students who are priority learners” – the term charter schools use for “those with neurodiversity and a background of disadvantage and poverty”.

Such innovation will raise overall educational achievement, he says, particularly for students who are underachieving, disengaged or neurodivergent. It may be too early to tell whether this optimism is justified, but it seems the new charter schools will enjoy a range of benefits unavailable to state schools.

For example, Seymour recently praised Arapaki School in Christchurch[2] for its teaching ratio of one teacher and three teacher aides for every 25 students. Australian students with this level of resourcing, he said, learned up to 60% faster than those in state schools.

But teachers, principals and researchers in the state system have been asking for reduced class sizes and one teacher aide per classroom for years. So we need to ask why the resources and privileges being channelled into charter schools can’t be made available to the state school system instead.

An underfunded education system

The coalition government has set aside NZ$153 million to fund charter schools over the next four years. These schools are state funded but operated by a “sponsor”: 75% of their teachers must be qualified and 25% can be permanently employed with a “limited authority to teach[3]”.

The government’s Charter School Agency[4] describes considerable flexibility around teaching, curriculum, governance, hours and days of operation, and how funding is spent.

According to chief executive Jane Lee, this flexibility supports innovation and provides opportunities for students to learn differently[5]. And there is little doubt a sizeable minority of pupils are not well served in the mainstream system.

One in five children and young people in our schools need extra support for their learning. For decades, official reports have documented[6] inequities in this area, including poor achievement for disabled and neurodivergent students.

The problems and solutions are well understood. Disabled and neurodivergent students face barriers to learning because funding, resources and timely support for them and their teachers are inadequate.

This includes a shortage of teacher aides, specialist teachers and therapists, and class sizes being too big.

Many teachers try to compensate for these challenges. But research undertaken for the New Zealand Educational Institute[7] warns that without the extra support they can come close to burnout. A damning 2024 report from the Education Hub[8] described the experiences of neurodivergent pupils, their whānau and teachers who viewed

the current education system as outdated and heading towards major crises, with many seeing home schooling as the only option.

Lack of supporting evidence

Rather than addressing under-resourcing in the state system, however, charter school advocates view the problem as a lack of choice, exacerbated by constant upheavals in education policy.

Associate Education Minister David Seymour. Getty Images[9]

So, what can we learn from the last time charter schools operated between 2012 and 2018? The evidence is mixed, according to an evaluation of eight charter schools[10] undertaken for the Ministry of Education.

While whānau and student experiences appeared positive, low and uneven response rates from these groups make drawing any conclusion difficult.

There was evidence of innovative practices in school governance and management, and to a lesser extent in staffing, student engagement and support, teaching and learning. The schools were least innovative in curriculum design and engagement with their communities.

The schools themselves felt small school rolls and class sizes contributed to their successful operation. As for the key aim of charter school policy supporting priority learners, the report described a good understanding of their needs.

But insufficient data mean we don’t know whether student achievement improved overall, and we know nothing about the achievement of students who received learning support.

Focus on state schools instead

Other questions remain, too. As the New Zealand Educational Institute pointed out last year, the $153 million being spent on charter schools would pay for more than 700 teacher aides[11] in the state system.

Given the existing shortage of learning-support resources overall, will charter schools (which will also have access to those resources) simply add another layer of competition for state schools?

And if charter schools themselves struggle to recruit the necessary expertise, will their staff have the professional knowledge of student diversity and inclusion that’s needed to support students and whānau well, and who will judge that?

Finally, charter schools must select priority group applicants by ballot if there are more applicants than capacity allows. How will they decide on the number of available places?

At the risk of answering these questions with another question, wouldn’t our thinking be better directed at improving the public education system?

All children – including those needing learning support – deserve to belong and learn well in their local school, with all the checks and balances that currently ensure equity, inclusion and a fully qualified teaching staff.

References

  1. ^ singing their praises (gazette.education.govt.nz)
  2. ^ praised Arapaki School in Christchurch (www.thepress.co.nz)
  3. ^ limited authority to teach (www.charterschools.govt.nz)
  4. ^ Charter School Agency (www.charterschools.govt.nz)
  5. ^ opportunities for students to learn differently (www.rnz.co.nz)
  6. ^ official reports have documented (www.education.govt.nz)
  7. ^ research undertaken for the New Zealand Educational Institute (www.nzeiteriuroa.org.nz)
  8. ^ report from the Education Hub (theeducationhub.org.nz)
  9. ^ Getty Images (www.gettyimages.co.nz)
  10. ^ evaluation of eight charter schools (www.educationcounts.govt.nz)
  11. ^ pay for more than 700 teacher aides (www.nzeiteriuroa.org.nz)

Read more https://theconversation.com/as-new-charter-schools-open-we-still-know-too-little-about-how-they-worked-last-time-249474

Times Magazine

DIY Is In: How Aussie Parents Are Redefining Birthday Parties

When planning his daughter’s birthday, Rich opted for a DIY approach, inspired by her love for drawing maps and giving clues. Their weekend tradition of hiding treats at home sparked the idea, and with a pirate ship playground already chosen as t...

When Touchscreens Turn Temperamental: What to Do Before You Panic

When your touchscreen starts acting up, ignoring taps, registering phantom touches, or freezing entirely, it can feel like your entire setup is falling apart. Before you rush to replace the device, it’s worth taking a deep breath and exploring what c...

Why Social Media Marketing Matters for Businesses in Australia

Today social media is a big part of daily life. All over Australia people use Facebook, Instagram, TikTok , LinkedIn and Twitter to stay connected, share updates and find new ideas. For businesses this means a great chance to reach new customers and...

Building an AI-First Culture in Your Company

AI isn't just something to think about anymore - it's becoming part of how we live and work, whether we like it or not. At the office, it definitely helps us move faster. But here's the thing: just using tools like ChatGPT or plugging AI into your wo...

Data Management Isn't Just About Tech—Here’s Why It’s a Human Problem Too

Photo by Kevin Kuby Manuel O. Diaz Jr.We live in a world drowning in data. Every click, swipe, medical scan, and financial transaction generates information, so much that managing it all has become one of the biggest challenges of our digital age. Bu...

Headless CMS in Digital Twins and 3D Product Experiences

Image by freepik As the metaverse becomes more advanced and accessible, it's clear that multiple sectors will use digital twins and 3D product experiences to visualize, connect, and streamline efforts better. A digital twin is a virtual replica of ...

The Times Features

A Guide to Determining the Right Time for a Switchboard Replacement

At the centre of every property’s electrical system is the switchboard – a component that doesn’t get much attention until problems arise. This essential unit directs electrici...

Après Skrew: Peanut Butter Whiskey Turns Australia’s Winter Parties Upside Down

This August, winter in Australia is about to get a lot nuttier. Skrewball Whiskey, the cult U.S. peanut butter whiskey that’s taken the world by storm, is bringing its bold brand o...

450 people queue for first taste of Pappa Flock’s crispy chicken as first restaurant opens in Queensland

Queenslanders turned out in flocks for the opening of Pappa Flock's first Queensland restaurant, with 450 people lining up to get their hands on the TikTok famous crispy crunchy ch...

How to Choose a Cosmetic Clinic That Aligns With Your Aesthetic Goals

Clinics that align with your goals prioritise subtlety, safety, and client input Strong results come from experience, not trends or treatment bundles A proper consultation fe...

7 Non-Invasive Options That Can Subtly Enhance Your Features

Non-invasive treatments can refresh your appearance with minimal downtime Options range from anti-wrinkle treatments to advanced skin therapies Many results appear gradually ...

What is creatine? What does the science say about its claims to build muscle and boost brain health?

If you’ve walked down the wellness aisle at your local supermarket recently, or scrolled the latest wellness trends on social media, you’ve likely heard about creatine. Creati...