Charter schools are being successfully developed in the United States with its large and rather prosperous Russian community. These are public but independent educational institutions which are financed from the state budget but enjoy freedom from many restrictions peculiar to ordinary public schools. For example, such schools may choose their own program and use more progressive teaching methods. But how does it relate to the mission of Russkiy Mir? Directly! Such schools open a way for wider teaching of Russian and with support of the American government. We should remind that three million of our former compatriots and members of their families reside in the US, with more than 700,000 of them considering Russian their native language.
President of the US Association of Russian Language, Culture and Education Svetlana Sokolova explained the advantages of charter schools:
— The school is helmed by a board of principals, consisting of parents and teachers, activists and volunteers. In charter schools teachers have the right to choose what to teach, but must have respective education and accreditation. They may use most progressive methods of teaching to assure high levels of achievement of their wards. Thus, due to experimental methodology, new rating and accountability systems, charter schools create a progressive tuition environment, offering wide opportunities for the professional growth of teachers.”
— What are the advantages of charter schools as compared to public and private schools?
— Charter schools are a successful experiment of the US education system, since they combine some elements of private and public schools. One may say that they amalgamate their best features. Like comprehensive schools, charter schools are free of charge. If a student wants to study at a charter school, the funds allocated by the government for her education follow to cover the studies at a charter school, since this student remains in the system of public education. Unlike state-run schools with their overpopulated classes, charter schools normally do not have more than 200-400 students in all grades, which allow them to maintain good discipline. Like private schools, charter schools reach good results in education. Parents do not have to pay a lot of money for the education of their kids though, which is the case with private schools. Charter schools are about quality and free education.”
— In what language are subjects taught in charter schools?
— These are still Anglo-Russian schools, to be more exact. All subjects are taught in English like in a traditional American school, with due attention paid to Russian, which is studied very deeply both by Russian-speaking and English-speaking children.”
— Why is the opening of these charter schools so important for the Russian speaking community, given that there are also many Russian schools and studios where children have good opportunities to learn Russian and develop their creativity?
— All these studio schools subsist on the money of kids’ parents while in the charter school children learn Russian for free. Furthermore, a child reared in the English-speaking environment, unfortunately, loses his command of Russian, which is perceived as a foreign language, and the child finds it difficult to express her thoughts in it. Not only is the vocabulary expanded with age, but the understanding of causal links is formed and then in the language of the country of residence. To preserve their Russian and hand it down to future generations, children ought to study it systematically and specifically. Only a Russian charter school is capable of creating all necessary conditions. The US government is interested in the opening of such schools and is ready to support them financially.
— Why?
— Because the practice has demonstrated their obvious advantages: getting financing at the same level with public schools, charter schools have demonstrated better results and have proved to be more efficient since 1992, when they were first established. The government has to invest more and more money in public schools with each passing year, but this money does not bring ample return. President Barack Obama called to start more charter schools. In his opinion, this relatively new form of public-private cooperation that will radically improve the situation and raise the level of school education in the US.
— What charter schools will most likely be opened?
— At the present stage – primary and middle schools, where children aged 5 to 14 will be studying.
— What kind of diploma will be awarded charter school graduates?
— While offered as an alternative to public schools, charter schools are part of the public education system and so their diplomas are fully equivalent to those awarded at a standard public school.
Interviewer: Lyuda Clark
Source: Contact magazine
