As the United States slips further down the international academic rankings, we must innovate. Charter schools can help. Here’s how.

First, what exactly is a charter school?

Simply put, a charter school is a privately managed public school. Charter schools are allowed to operate by a contract—or charter—with the state. According to the Center for Education Reform, “a good charter law provides automatic exemptions from most of the school district’s laws and regulations.“This doesn’t mean charter schools can violate fundamental laws concerning civil rights, but they have more freedom to innovate in ways that traditional public schools cannot.

Read the rest of this post on iVillage

More iVillage coverage of Education Nation:

• Is Online Learning a Solution to the Soaring Cost of College? by Sharon Rowley
• Is Teach for America Improving Public Schools? by Amanda Rodriguez
• iVoices: What We’ll Remember About Education Nation

Image: Bruno Girin, flickr

About Lela Davidson

Lela Davidson is the author of Blacklisted from the PTA, Who Peed on My Yoga Mat? and Sexy, Smart, & Search Engine Friendly. Her humor and commentary have been featured in hundreds of websites, magazines, and anthologies. She would love to keep in touch. Click here to authorize updates directly from Lela, and please connect with Lela on Google+ and Facebook.

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