After reading about the Texas Virtual Academy in the
Fort Worth Star Telegram, I feel that I have to comment. If parents want to educate their children at home then they should home school. This charter school provides materials not available to students at public schools (laptop and other materials). The students are required to take the state exam and are scoring below their counterparts at public school. Charter schools in Texas also prosper under loose spending guidelines, lack of oversight and top heavy administrative staffs.
The answer? Put that money back where it belongs, your local public school. I feel that the biggest difference between a high performing and low performing campus, particularly for elementary and middle schools is parent volunteerism. PTA, parent tutors, parent at lunch duty, parents on campus before and after school, parent in the school office helping parents of new studnets, etc. The two most influential factors of the success of a school campus are principal leadership and parent volunteerism.
