Understanding Learning Models for School Choice

understanding learning models school choice

Education is not a one-size-fits-all scenario. Different children have different learning abilities, different skill sets, and different needs. Fortunately, San Antonio is now home to more than 170 schools of choice. While that is good news, it does present a challenge to families like yours who are trying to determine the right ones for your children. To best appreciate the options, it is important to understand each school’s learning model. STEM, dual language, single-sex, and classical education are just a few of the many options that are available to families seeking alternative educational options. Here is a break down of the top learning models for schools of choice to help you make the most informed decision and find the right fit for your child.

Child-Centered Learning

The term “child-centered learning” is often considered synonymous with Montessori schools. And while Montessori is certainly a popular choice for this style of learning, it is by no means the only choice. At its core, child-centered learning is an environment where children are self-paced, moving through the material at their own speed. As a result, it is not uncommon to find mixed-age classrooms in these types of models. These schools typically incorporate many visual and tactile learning elements including math manipulatives like blocks or beads on wires. Depending on the school, you may find a focus on art, or in some cases, a holistic approach that encourages physical activity and mental wellness components.

Often these schools focus on integrating bigger concepts like compassion, sustainability, and awareness of social issues. They teach them how to be good global citizens. Child-centered learning models can be found within SAISD Choice Schools, while other options include The Gathering Place, Promesa Academy, TriPoint Academy, and Anne Frank Inspire Academy. Learn more in our guide to child-centered learning models at San Antonio schools.

[Hall Monitor] The McNeels Choose a School, Part 3: Why We Love Montessori So Much | San Antonio Charter Moms

Classical Education Models

Classical education is an approach that looks back to time-tested methods like Latin grammar and cursive handwriting. Students receive a well-rounded liberal arts education by reading whole works of literature and holding discussions with their peers. Structure, discipline, and high expectations are hallmarks of this type of education, and a dress code or uniform is often the standard. By the time they enter high school, students have well-worn books filled with annotations and highlighted passages. They interact with one another in a Socratic seminar-type setting and are skilled in citing textual evidence to support theories and discussions. By the time they graduate, students are poised, independent, and creative-thinking individuals.

There is a real philosophy behind this style of education, but families must buy into it and support it at home as well. San Antonio’s classical education schools of choice include Great Hearts Texas, Valor Education, and Founders Classical Academy of Schertz. Learn more in our guide to classical education learning models at San Antonio schools.

Great Hearts Monte Vista book fair at Barnes & Noble | San Antonio Charter Moms

College and Career Readiness Models

Earning college credits while still in high school is a big plus for many students, especially those who are blazing new trails or facing barriers to enrolling in college.

At early college high schools programs, students graduate from high school with up to two years’ worth of community college credits. They can either take an associate’s degree or transfer to a four-year college and graduate early with less expense. Early college programs can save students a significant amount of time and money on their college journeys; that’s especially beneficial for first-generation college students. They can also help students as they apply for college because it shows that the student can do the college-level work. San Antonio boasts several early college and dual credit schools including Frank L. Madla Early College High School and Imelda Davis Early College High School at New Frontiers Public Schools and Travis Early College High School at SAISD.

Dual credit programs and Advance Placement (AP) courses also help high school students to earn college credits, but they do not add up to an entire associate’s degree. A wide range of high schools across San Antonio offer dual credit through partnerships with community colleges. At BASIS Charter Schools and IDEA Public Schools, students have the opportunity to load up on AP classes that lead to college credit.

International Baccalaureate (IB) schools offer a globally recognized program. SAISD, Edgewood ISD, KIPP, and IDEA have certified IB schools.

Career and technical education (CTE) helps students learn skills and earn certifications that will help them start their careers right after high school graduation. For example, at Jubilee Academies, students can explore programs ranging from culinary to law enforcement. At Harmony Public Schools, students can choose pre-med and criminal justice tracks that help students jump start their professional lives.

Learn more in our guide to college and career readiness learning models at San Antonio schools.

Medicine pathway at Harmony Science Academy San Antonio

Functional Needs Schools

As the name suggests, functional needs schools serve children who learn differently due to things like dyslexia, autism, hearing impairment, and other challenges. Designed to meet these children where they are, these schools incorporate a curriculum specifically designed to accommodate the needs of disabled children and help them to feel confident and successful in the classroom. Led by teams of experts who specialize in these and other conditions, students are supported, nurtured, and celebrated for what they can do, not what they cannot.

Students are given highly personalized, individual attention in these environments. Most have specialists on staff to assist with specific learning issues and to help educators navigate each child’s specific challenges. San Antonio is home to several functional needs schools including the Foundation School for Autism and Celebrate Dyslexia Schools. Learn more in our guide to functional needs schools in San Antonio.

Credit Recovery Schools

Credit recovery schools provide students who are at risk of dropping out with extra support and flexibility while earning a high school diploma. Programs in San Antonio include Compass Rose Impact at Compass Rose Public Schools, Positive Solutions Charter School, Premier High School San Antonio—Ingram and Premier High School San Antonio—Windcrest at Premier High Schools, Texans Can Academy—San Antonio, Learn4Life Edgewood, and Cooper Academy at Navarro in SAISD. Learn more in our guide to credit recovery schools in San Antonio.

Premier High School San Antonio students graduation

Culturally Responsive Schools

San Antonio is one of the most rapidly growing cities in America, and one of the most economically segregated. It is a community where at least 64 percent of the population identifies as Latino, and six percent as Black or African American, yet data indicates that many schools are still overwhelmingly failing students of color. Culturally responsive schools work to change that by creating learning environments made up primarily of students and teachers of color. Students not only learn about their heritage but they are also made to feel proud of it rather than singled out for it. Schools like Essence Prep and SA STEAM Academy offer a culture designed to allow students of color to see themselves reflected in their school leadership. Like historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), these schools foster a sense of family and belonging while reminding students of color that they can use their experiences to become leaders, hold positions of power, and affect social change. These schools allow students to learn without the additional challenges of feeling like the minority or being singled out to speak for their race or culture. Learn more in our guide to culturally responsive schools in San Antonio.

Dual Language Models

Success in today’s world often means being fluent in other languages. Teaching a second language while children’s minds are young and flexible is the premise behind dual language learning models. Families and educators report seeing benefits when students learn a second language at an early age. It can improve memory, concentration, critical thinking, and listening skills while enhancing creativity and mental flexibility.

Although some use the terms interchangeably, dual language learning models are different from immersion models. In a Spanish/English dual language classroom, materials are taught in both languages. In a Spanish immersion classroom, the material is taught entirely in Spanish.

Spanish dual language options include CAST Med High School, Somerset Academy Lone Star, and many options at traditional public school districts, including SAISD and NEISD. While Spanish is the most common dual language program in San Antonio, there are other options such as EKHLA, where students can be part of a Hebrew/English classroom. Learn more in our guide to dual language learning models at San Antonio schools.

Spanish Grove Academy dual language spanish english classroom

Single-Gender Schools

Studies have repeatedly shown that boys and girls learn differently. A single-sex educational environment allows teachers to cater to their respective learning styles, thereby boosting the self-esteem of both sexes. Historically, boys have proven to be more vocal in the classroom, often causing the girls to feel less confident about speaking up or assuming leadership roles. Girls, however, often have the advantage when it comes to behavior as they are inclined to sit still and listen longer than boys who prefer more action-based learning and may cause more interruptions in the classroom. In middle and high school, there is the additional problem of sexual dynamics which can be a big distraction to the learning process. Some students simply learn better with peers of the same gender; single-sex schools build their entire culture around that idea.

SAISD offers several options, including Young Women’s Leadership Academy (Primary and Secondary) and Young Men’s Leadership Academy. Likewise, Edgewood ISD also offers choices for single-sex learning through leadership schools for both sexes, including Roy Cisneros Leadership School for Boys. Learn more in our guide to single-gender schools in San Antonio.

Hemisfair School Discovery Day 2022_10_22 -90 SAISD YWLA students

STEM Schools

An acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math, STEM schools teach pre-K through high school students advanced concepts through project-based learning. The challenging curriculum gives students the skill sets they need and then teaches them how to apply them through engaging, age-appropriate projects like robotics, video game coding, and science fairs. Through these hands-on engineering opportunities and abstract computer science programs, students are set up for success not only in college but also in life.

The high-paying jobs of the future are likely to be in STEM fields, but there are currently not enough graduates to fill them, especially in San Antonio. But even if a child doesn’t aspire to be the next tech titan, there is still much to be gained from the STEM curriculum—most notably, creative problem-solving and teamwork. These skills are essential in both the STEM program and any workplace environment. STEM schools to consider include the School of Science and Technology (SST), Harmony Public Schools, CAST Schools, and Compass Rose Ingenuity at Compass Rose Public Schools. Learn more in our guide to STEM schools in San Antonio.

STEM enrichment activities San Antonio after school weekends

Learning Models Help Focus Your School Search

As a parent or caregiver who is researching schools for your children, the range of options can be overwhelming. Remember that you know your children better than anyone else. As you develop an understanding of different learning models, you can narrow the field to the ones where your child will likely be their happiest and most successful. Visiting School Discovery Day events is a great way for parents to meet with representatives from multiple schools in one day, ask questions, and get a feel for the school’s climate and culture. The San Antonio Charter Moms team wants to make it as easy as possible to find the right school for your child as easy as possible. We have a wealth of resources, including our Facebook discussion group, interviews with schools, and a weekly newsletter, to help you make the best choice.

Learning Models Handout

Download or print our learning models information as a one-page handout. The text is in English on one side and in Spanish on the other.

San Antonio Charter Moms Learning Models English 2024

Charter Moms Chat

Inga Cotton, Founder and Executive Director of San Antonio Charter Moms, discusses learning models in this video recorded on September 12, 2023.

Inga Cotton is the Founder and Executive Director of San Antonio Charter Moms. Inga has two children: daughter Annika is 14 years old, and son Nicholas is 17 years old and is on the autism spectrum. San Antonio Charter Moms is a nonprofit that helps families find schools that are the right fit for their children and become advocates for quality education. Inga has lived in San Antonio since high school and has a B.A. in History from Trinity University and a law degree from the University of Texas. In 2011, she learned about new charter schools coming to San Antonio. She wanted to help spread the word to families, so she created the San Antonio Charter Moms blog in 2012. Over time, San Antonio Charter Moms became an online community, including an active discussion group on Facebook, and became a non-profit organization in 2018. Inga and her family enjoy hiking at parks and trails, going to museums and concerts, and trying new recipes and restaurants.