The number of charter schools in the U.S. is growing. This is creating new opportunities for private school companies that serve charter and private schools.
According to the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, charter schools added more than 80,000 new students during the 2023-2024 school year. Local public schools lost about 1.8 million students from the 2020-2021 school year while charter school enrollment grew by almost 400,000 students during the same period, creating a noticeable contrast in enrollment trends.
Many of the larger and innovative private school transportation companies don’t treat charter schools or private schools differently than public schools. They are closely monitoring the trend of more charter schools coming online.
An example of the changing dynamics in a large school system can be found in South Florida. The Broward County Public School District reported its enrollment declined by about 30,000 over the past 10 years and will likely decline by another 9,000 students this year. School board meetings over the past 12 months have discussed closing school sites.
The Florida Legislature has made it easier for charter schools to open and use existing public-school buildings for their campuses. The state also expanded eligibility for school choice vouchers to all students.
Alternative student transportation provider HopSkipDrive offers transportation to growing charter schools and is looking for ways to further serve the market.
The company works with students who are facing various challenges and may not be served as well by traditional school bus systems. Examples include students who must move frequently because they are homeless or in the foster care system, or they may have a severe disability. HopSkipDrive offers flexibility.
Emily Uhland, vice president of customer success at HopSkipDrive, said the company works to provide the best service for all students. “HopSkipDrive is a proud partner to over 600 school districts around the country, as well as many charter and private schools. The fact is, no matter what school a child is attending they can only get there if they have safe, reliable transportation,” she said.
She noted that many charter and private schools may not own school buses or are stretched too thin with transportation requests from students who live far away. This can make supplemental and small vehicle transportation a better fit.
Traditional school bus companies are also finding more opportunities to serve charter and private schools.
First Student operates in 43 states and has 46,000 school buses. While the company strives to offer the best possible service to all its customers, it may face different requirements when serving smaller charter schools than when it serves large public school districts.
No two schools are the same as some operate independently and may need few school buses, while others are part of larger networks and need more school buses, according to Kim Worster, senior vice president for First Student.
First Student offers full transportation management. This means the company can fully take over and manage systems from route planning to fleet operations to driver staffing.
“For schools that prefer to remain in control of certain operations, we provide buses and technology while they keep their own drivers,” said Worster “We can maintain the school’s existing bus fleet to keep them running safely and reduce the burden of operations for their team. We offer fully trained drivers who meet our safety standards.” .
The company also offers its own alternative transportation, FirstAlt, that uses smaller vehicles.
Worster continued, “HALO is our proprietary technology platform designed to streamline and optimize school bus fleet operations, and it integrates every aspect of First Student’s operations from recruiting and training to routing, dispatching, navigation, vehicle telematics into one system,” said Worster.
The system offers parents and the district visibility to track vehicles and view live updates. It also offers streamlined recruiting and training, resulting in reduced onboarding time and a 90 percent average pass rate on CDL exams on the first attempt. Because of smart routing and safety monitoring there is continuous evaluation of routes, improving safety and efficiency. AI-powered safety incorporates AI cameras to detect potential hazards, providing real-time alerts and recording critical moments for improvements. The end-to-end platform provides a real-time, 360-degree view of fleet performance to enhance operational efficiency, safety and communication, Worster explained.
World of Kids Transportation Corp, based in Pembroke Pines, Florida is working with charter and private schools. It is choosing to grow slowly and meet the needs of various schools, according to a spokesperson.
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At the federal level, House Republicans plan to reserve up to $5 billion a year for scholarships to help families send their children to private and religious schools. This is considered a first major effort to use public money to pay for private education.
This proposal is part of a budget reconciliation bill released May 12 that would promote President Donald Trump’s goal of establishing universal school choice by offering families throughout the nation the option to provide their children an education different from the one offered at their local public school. Almost all families would qualify except those earning more than three times the local economy.
U.S. Sens. Michael Bennet, a Democrat from Colorado, and Bill Cassidy, Republican from Louisiana, have reintroduced the bipartisan Equitable Access to School Facilities Act.
This legislation would make it easier for charter schools to access public property and provide federal grants to states for charter school facilities. The grants, available from the Federal Charter Schools Program, could be used by charter schools to acquire and renovate existing facilities, cover ongoing facilities costs, or create a reserve fund for future acquisition, renovation, or maintenance.
“All students deserve a high-quality education that prepares them for success in college and their career. Across Colorado, charter schools improve student achievement and provide students with the flexibility and innovative teaching they need,” said Bennet. “This bill will invest in charter schools and give them additional tools to support students of every background.”
“When families have the opportunity to send their child to a charter school, they are empowered to choose the best education that meets their child’s needs,” said Cassidy. “This legislation strengthens charter schools, giving them greater tools to help children succeed in the classroom.”
The Equitable Access to School Facilities Act seeks to improve charter schools’ access to facilities funding and financing within a state by reducing gaps in funding between charter schools and other public schools and adding a revolving loan fund. It will promote charter schools’ utilization of public buildings without a federal interest and increase charter schools’ access to facilities located in low-income and rural communities.
AASA: The School Superintendents Association supports public school choice, including charter schools, provided they operate under the governance of local public school boards.
The organization’s belief and position statements says charter schools must adhere to common regulations and accountability standards applied to all schools receiving public funding.
Charter school financing, it continues, should be standardized and aligned to ensure their creation does not negatively impact the quality of existing public schools.
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