Baltimore has more charter schools than anywhere in Maryland. Is one right for your child?

Baltimore students overwhelmingly struggle with math. But one school is a standout exception, and it’s not run by Baltimore City Public Schools.

The district’s top-scoring middle school students attend Hampstead Hill Academy, a charter elementary/middle school in Canton where 54.3% scored proficient on the state math test. That’s a 20.3-percentage-point lead over middle school students anywhere else in the city.

As one of Baltimore’s 30-some charter schools, Hampstead Hill is publicly funded but privately run, which gives it greater control over what and how it teaches. Principal Matt Hornbeck pointed to a few things his school does differently — there’s a dedicated math teacher per grade starting in third, end-of-year lessons focus heavily on state test material, and homework questions are written in the same format as those on state tests.

Points of distinction like those can help families decide if a charter school is right for their child, said Jon Valant, director of the Brown Center on Education Policy at the Brookings Institution, who has studied charter schools for over 10 years. The city boasts more charter schools than anywhere else in the state, giving families abundant options, including schools that serve special interests. But for all their flexibility and independence, not every charter school is high-achieving, and those that don’t meet the district’s expectations can be closed, disrupting students’ education.

Here’s what to consider before selecting a Baltimore charter school for your child.

How are charter schools different from traditional public schools?

Charter schools have greater flexibility to choose their curriculum, staff and teaching approach. Many, Valant said, are oriented around a particular theme or mission, which can appeal to students who want to pursue niches like fine arts.

And while some charters may be better at teaching or innovating, they “don’t have to be the best school for every kid. They only have to be the best school for the kids who choose,” said Jane Arnold Lincove, a professor at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, who studies school choice.

“Neighborhood schools have to serve all the kids who show up,” she added.

Do students at charter schools perform better than their peers?

Elementary and middle school students in Baltimore’s charter schools slightly outperformed their peers in traditional public schools on this year’s state English language arts tests.

Among Baltimore elementary students, 31.7% of those attending charter schools scored proficient on the English test, compared to 27.1% of kids in traditional schools. Among middle schoolers, 36.3% of charter students were proficient, versus 34.8% in traditional schools.

While small, the charter schools’ lead in English scores is significant in Baltimore, a district where test scores in the subject trail the rest of the state.

However, high school students at traditional public schools scored higher than those at charters on the 10th-grade English test. Baltimore’s top traditional high schools have competitive entrance criteria that attract top students; charter schools aren’t pulling from the top crop, Lincove said.

School district leaders said in a statement that they’re focused on improving all students’ achievement regardless of what kind of school they attend.

What are the disadvantages of attending a charter school?

The relationship between Baltimore City Public Schools and charter school operators has often been strained, with tensions boiling over during the annual review of schools.

Charters have to be approved by the district and then are evaluated every three, five or eight years, depending on how well they did in the previous round. That review process means that struggling charter schools are often considered for closure.

There can also be logistical challenges. Charter school students can’t get district-provided yellow bus transportation in elementary school the way their peers who live a mile or more from their traditional public school can, according to the district’s website. And charter schools have to take on the financial responsibility of buying or leasing and then maintaining their own buildings, which can lead to budget crunches.

What are the charter school options in Baltimore?

Most of Baltimore’s charter schools — 17 — are elementary/middle schools. There are seven elementary, one middle, four middle/high schools and four high schools.

Fourteen of those schools have pre-K programs, which may be especially attractive for those who live near a popular public preschool that fills up fast.

But nine of the city’s charters are designated “neighborhood charter schools,” meaning students who live nearby get priority admission.

Valant advised parents to visit schools and talk to families and kids who attend the schools they’re interested in to get a sense of what might await their student.

“Kids thrive in district schools. They thrive in charter schools,” said Valant. “It’s largely about just finding that right school.”

How do you apply to a charter school?

Some charter schools require an interview or a portfolio for admission. The district provides information on how to apply to those schools and others under its universal choice process starting in middle school.

But most charters use a lottery to admit students. That means you apply to the schools you like, and if a school gets more applications than it has spots, school officials randomly select which students to admit. The school system lists charter schools on its website; however, the list has not yet been updated to reflect that the Baltimore Collegiate School for Boys and New Song Academy have closed and Southwest Baltimore Charter School is now district-operated.

This year, the district is piloting a more centralized charter school admissions process that will allow families to apply to multiple schools at once. But not every charter school will necessarily participate, so families may need to apply to some directly via their website. You can also visit a school to pick up a paper application.

More information will be available before applications open in December, said district spokesperson Sherry Christian. Some schools offer programs like language immersion in Chinese and Arabic or a focus on the natural environment.

Charter schools typically use a separate application from the city’s universal school choice application that allows middle and high school students to select the public school they attend.

Prekindergarten programs at charter schools also require individual applications, separate from the pre-K registration process used at traditional city schools.

About the Education Hub

This reporting is part of The Banner’s Education Hub, community-funded journalism that provides parents with resources they need to make decisions about how their children learn. Read more.