Welcome to our Prince William County forum, where people who live, work, or are simply interested in the area come together to share questions and information about their local community. Every week, Prince William Extra posts a question to invite residents to answer and provide their opinion. The county is currently debating whether to accept requests from parties interested in founding charter schools under a new Virginia law. This law establishes the right of local school boards to allow charter schools to exist, and defines the population targeted by these schools as students who have a physical, emotional, intellectual, socioeconomic or cultural risk factor, as defined in the criteria of the Board of Education.
The Prince William 100-member Committee provides a non-partisan educational forum to study the essential interests, problems and objectives of the population of Prince William County and the cities of Manassas and Manassas Park. It is important to consider why charter schools may be necessary in Prince William County. If there is a need for charter schools, it could be due to a lack of quality education in public schools or an insufficient number of private schools. It could also be due to an increased number of at-risk students who require additional support.
Allowing parents to have a stronger voice in their children's education, allowing students to have options to study in smaller classes, focus on the core curriculum, and hold the school accountable for the standard it sets: these are all characteristics of good education. Despite all the evidence to the contrary, Prince William's elementary schools would have nothing to do with the phonetic system and insisted on teaching the full word system. It is important for residents of Prince William County to consider all aspects of this debate and make an informed decision about whether or not charter schools should be allowed in their area. The Prince William 100-member Committee provides an excellent platform for residents to discuss this issue and come up with a solution that works best for everyone.
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