Busted: Union narrative falls apart as charter school enrolment booms

“New data on charter school enrolments confirms what many parents already knew, when you give families more choice, they take it,” says ACT Education spokesperson Laura McClure.

“Rolls in the first seven charter schools have more than tripled. Across the network, 1,471 students are now enrolled in 16 schools. Families are actively choosing something different, and in many cases they’re joining waitlists to do so.

“The unions’ claims about charter school costing $90,000 per student, per year, have also been put to bed.

“The Charter School Agency has modelled per-student costs using the same formula the Ministry of Education applies to state schools. On that basis, charter schools are cheaper.

“In 2024, the average state primary school received $8,762 per student. A same sized charter primary school receives an estimated $8,278. For secondary students, state schools received $11,040 per student, while same sized charter secondary schools received an estimated $10,741.

“Despite that, unions have been claiming charter schools are the world’s most expensive education.

“Instead of fronting up to the facts, they’re muddying the waters with misleading claims. It seems like they’ll do anything to deny that charter schools are working. Even using their own flawed methodology, they’ve overstated per-student funding by 700%, ignoring roll growth and relying on outdated figures.

“This debate should be about what works for students, but unions are busy defending their monopoly on how schooling is run.

“The teachers’ unions’ biggest fear is that charter schools will succeed. They take a cut of teachers’ salaries to negotiate collective agreements, and they know charter schools sit outside those agreements.

“That means charter schools can reward great teachers and move on from poor performance. For unions, that’s a direct threat.

“They should just be honest about it. Their opposition isn’t about students, it’s about protecting membership fees and holding onto their grip over the education system.

“Parents are voting with their feet because too many students haven’t thrived in a one-size-fits-all model. Charter schools give communities room to try something different, while still being held to clear expectations.

“Charter schools have the freedom to run things differently, but they’re also expected to show results. If they fall short, there are consequences.

“You can argue about the policy, but you can’t ignore what’s happening on the ground. Families are choosing environments that better suit their children, whether that’s more structure, a different culture, or a new approach to learning. Cherry-picked numbers won’t change that.

“ACT wants an education system that works around students, not one that expects students to fit the system. That means backing parents, supporting new approaches, and focusing on what actually helps kids learn.

“The growth we’re seeing is coming from communities themselves. The next step is making sure more families have access to options that work for their children.”