St. Louis Gateway Science Academy is one of the public charter schools in the United States. It specializes in mathematics, science, and technology. It also provides its students with problem-solving skills. The latter is critical for post-secondary education. The institution was incepted in 2003 as a non-profit organization under the management of Concept Schools. It has a board of directors charged with the role of overseeing all the operations. St. Louis Gateway Science Academy’s success is anchored in the ability of the management to harmonize curriculum and select qualified teaching staff who are in a position to meet the needs of students. The core practices, goals, and objectives are based on the contingency model of organizational management. This type of model demands the instantaneous consideration of the underlying competitive factors. The school’s ability to assimilate the need for continuous improvement and evaluation has been made possible owing to its ability to embrace and adopt better means of addressing the dynamic needs of education.
Confluence Charter Schools
Confluence Charter School was formed in 2003. It is a non-profit educational system that boasts of over 3,400 students in its network of five learning institutions. The University of Science and Technology is the main sponsor of the institution. Similar to St. Louis Gateway Science Academy, it is governed by a board of directors. Besides, the school is managed by American Quality Schools and Edison Learning. In terms of specialty, it focuses on mathematics and science modules and teaches students from Grades K to 12. There are two high schools in the Confluence network (GCAA and CPA). Southeast Missouri State University also supports the Lift for Life Academy, which is a charter school aimed at providing a comprehensive alternative to public schools in the City of St. Louis. There is also the Construction Careers Center, which is a charter high school that focuses on providing students with exposure to the construction industry.
The competitiveness of Charter Schools
The ability to counter competition effectively among schools depends on a school’s internal organization. Internal organization systems dictate the quality of education and guidance offered to students. Both Confluence and St. Louis Gateway Science Academy emphasize the need for quality of education offered, and they address the challenges that face students during learning. However, the lack of adequate resources and financial problems are major setbacks in attaining the set objectives. Implementing the goals set for the school requires adequate resources. Perhaps, the notion of competitiveness as employed in the United States’ education system is best outlined in the mode of operations depicted by the Charter Schools. The United States education system recognizes the crucial role that competition plays in the education system. For instance, effective competition improves key operations and creates a more harmonic mechanism for impressive results. Therefore, the US system of education seeks to create a democratic space so that learning institutions can operate without hindrances. Charter schools operate as an immediate alternative to public learning institutions bearing in mind that they receive funding from the central government. However, they are supposed to be accountable and transparent in the management of finances.
Competitive analysis of a school assists in establishing whether a given learning institution is viable in terms of learning standards. The acceptable status of an educational system does not merely depend on the areas of specialization. Schools that seek to outdo their competitors in the market usually employ a competitive analysis program in order to determine major areas of strengths and weaknesses. Besides, such an analysis is crucial in identifying the available opportunities that can be exploited so that an institution can remain highly competitive and relevant in the education sector. Better still, a thorough competitive analysis offers an examination of a school to determine its threats. After the analysis, the best mechanisms to address possible threats can be established.