NEARLY 40,000 FAMILIES APPLY FOR SAN ANTONIO CHARTER SCHOOLS, DEMAND MORE EDUCATIONAL CHOICES FOR STUDENTS
Never Before Released Numbers Show Massive Need for Charter Schools in San Antonio
(San Antonio) – Demand for public charter school seats in San Antonio is sky rocketing, according a new report released today by Families Empowered, a parent service organization devoted to empowering families to access Texas school choices. The analysis of school applications for the 2017-18 school year found that San Antonio families submitted nearly 40,000 applications for just three of San Antonio’s public charter school networks. As demand for more school options grows, statewide waitlists for public charter schools have surpassed 141,000 children.
“This report makes it abundantly clear that parents want more choices, not less, when it comes to educating their kids, ” said Quincy Boyd, Regional Director of Families Empowered. “These findings paint a clear picture of what we’ve all known to be true - demand for more opportunity and innovation in our school systems is overwhelming. Let’s work together to build a school system that gives every child a real chance to succeed - no matter their zip code.”
Demand for more options for San Antonio families is high; in particular –
- Parents submitted 39,214 applications for just three of San Antonio’s public charter school networks for the 2017/2018 school year: Great Hearts Texas, KIPP San Antonio (now KIPP Texas) and IDEA Public Schools.
- This figure represents more applications than the total student enrollment at multiple traditional independent school districts, and is more than half the size of San Antonio Independent School District’s student enrollment.
- Altogether, the families seeking a seat at one of San Antonio’s public charter schools would constitute the fourth largest school district in the San Antonio region.
- Statewide, 141,000 Texas students are on waitlists for public charter schools.
- Less than half of parents surveyed by Families Empowered are well satisfied by their child’s current school.
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