Charter schools on the rise amid debate

The rollout of charter schools is gaining momentum in Aotearoa New Zealand, with seven schools opening early this year, according to Charter School Agency Chief Executive Jane Lee.

Speaking with Pacific Mornings host William Terite, Lee highlights the role of charter schools in offering alternative education tailored to diverse community needs, especially for Māori and Pasifika students.

“We have to acknowledge that the education system doesn’t meet the needs of all students and that it has not supported outcomes for all its learners, including Māori, Pacific, and non-Māori and Pacific learners as well,” Lee says.

Lee emphasises that charter schools provide flexible teaching and learning methods while maintaining high accountability.

“Charter schools provide a choice for parents and students. That means a different approach to teaching and learning based on the community’s needs.

“It also means that it looks at flexibility for those schools that want to become charter schools for high levels of accountability.

“That means parental choice, high levels of accountability, seeking improved outcomes for learners in relation to progress and achievement, seeking better attendance for learners that may be disengaged,” Lee says.

The discussion comes amid ongoing concerns about the effectiveness of the mainstream education system, particularly for Māori and Pasifika students.

A recent move by school principals to oppose online NCEA testing, citing its potential negative impact on these students, has reignited conversations about alternative education pathways.

Charter schools remain a contentious issue in New Zealand politics despite their potential benefits.

Critics argue they divert funding from the public education system and operate with less oversight.

However, Lee argues that mainstream and charter schools can co-exist.

“The reality is we are in the New Zealand landscape of education, and we can co-exist.

“There’s an opportunity here for charter schools to support mainstream, in relation to sharing innovation and how we go about raising student achievement.

“There’s also an opportunity for mainstream to share innovation with the charter school network to continue to improve outcomes for all learners.”

Vanguard Military School was once a charter school. Photo/RNZ/Nick Monro.

While Lee could not confirm specific applications, she assures multiple applications have been received which cater to a diverse range of learners across the system.

Lee says the application process for new charter schools is rigorous, requiring detailed plans on educational vision, sustainability, and student progress tracking.

“The [Charter Schools] Authorisation Board has set really high standards for approval, so it is quite a challenging and tough process to get through because the Authorisation Board wants to ensure high-quality education for all learners.

“When applying, the Board is looking for a really compelling vision and how you’re going to go about that and maintain sustainability.

“More importantly, how are you going to demonstrate that you are improving outcomes for learners, particularly in progress and achievement across core learning areas? How are you going to support ongoing sustainable attendance?”

Political uncertainty remains a challenge for the charter school initiative, with opposition parties such as Labour vowing to dismantle the programme if it returns to power.

Despite their potential benefits, charter schools remain a contentious issue in New Zealand politics. Photo/supplied.

However, Lee remains focused on the present Government’s education priorities.

“We’re not focused on it being time-limited. We’re tasked with ensuring a government priority is implemented, and while we’re here as a charter school agency, that is what we’re tasked with to do.

“And we’re seeing charter schools as being a long-term solution on the landscape of education.

“Our task is to ensure we maintain the focus on the Government’s priority in implementing its priorities in relation to charter schools.

“We are focused on being a sustainable part of the education network and a complementary lever…our view is we will be here for the duration and improving outcomes and drawing outcomes for learners.”