Whether it’s student loan forgiveness or banning books, education policy in the United States can get contentious.⁠ ⁠ One controversial education policy that goes back to the 1990s is the charter school.⁠ ⁠ A charter school is a publicly funded school that is established by a private group. The group creates a contract with the state and local government, which lays out specific accountability requirements. The government has the ability to shut the school down if it doesn’t meet those standards. What’s more, these schools are exempt from certain state laws and regulations that traditional public schools must follow, but they are expected to meet educational standards.⁠ ⁠ So, why are charter schools still so controversial, and why do critics say they harm the wider public school district? Link in bio for full details.