our view

Residents of West Long Branch, Eatontown and Oceanport recently received something that not long ago was entirely unavailable — a choice in public education.

In January state officials gave the go-ahead for the Jersey Shore Charter School to operate in the three towns, and in September the school’s founders expect to open and offer instruction in fifth, sixth and seventh grades. Eighth-grade instruction will begin being offered the following year.

Not without good reason, the officials who run the three school districts from which students will be drawn are less than thrilled with the idea of losing both students and funding. While those concerns are legitimate for the short term, in the long term all three communities — including the school districts — can expect to be well-served by the new school.

Initially there will be some tough going as the districts adjust, but as West Long Branch’s planned referendum in September illustrates, adjustments in schools come from within as well as from outside forces.

There are things the district is planning that reflect those forces, and in time the charter school will become just one more influence.

To truly serve its function, the charter school must offer a different educational path, and those who founded the school have promised that.

Without a doubt there are parents in those three communities who think their children might be better off in a different learning environment.

Traditional public schools have done an admirable job of dealing with the incredibly diverse population that walks through their doors every day, but as with any endeavor there’s more than one way to get things done .