May 29, 2008
May 29, 2009
Agree to Disagree
Richmond.com, VA, May 29, 2008
And with that, the number of charter schools in Virginia rises to…four. Only four. In the whole state.
Candidates Split Sharply On Bush's No Child Left Behind Law
Wall Street Journal, May 29, 2008
Barack Obama attacked a key plank of John McCain's education platform, taking up an issue that has been on the back burner amid a campaign dialogue dominated by war and the economy.
Better Education Schools Would Mean Better Teachers
Cleveland Plain Dealer, OH, May 29, 2008
Some researchers, according to The Plain Dealer's recent series on teacher education by reporters Scott Stephens and Edith Starzyk, fault inept programs at universities and colleges, where 90 percent of the nation's 3 million classroom teachers are trained.
Obama Urges Education Reform
CBS News, NY, May 28, 2008
He was also asked about the federal government’s role in a world of charter schools and the success of private foundations on small school public education, such as the school where he was appearing.
Battling the Teachers Union
D.C. Examiner, D.C., May 29, 2008
Let's stipulate this: There are some excellent teachers in the D.C.Public Schools. Conversely, there are others who are absolutely lousy. They have long since retired on the job; their prime motivation, now, is collecting a paycheck.
Education activist says she'll run for Fulop's seat
Jersey Journal, NJ, May 29, 2008
Jersey City resident Shelley Skinner, a close ally of Downtown Councilman Steve Fulop and founder of the parent group Jersey City Families for Better Schools, announced via e-mail yesterday that she's running next year for Fulop's Ward E council seat.
Ohio schools chief Susan Tave Zelman calls it quits
Cleveland Plain Dealer, OH, May 28, 2008
Susan Tave Zelman, state superintendent of public instruction since 1999, announced this morning that she is leaving the department. She made the announcement at an Ohio Department of Education employee recognition ceremony.
May 27, 2008
Golden State Showing Signs of Life on School Choice (Vicki Murray)
Last week, Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue signed into law a $50 million corporate and individual tax-credit scholarship program. The new program is part of a growing trend for school choice now showing signs of life in California.
The Georgia scholarship program allows corporations to receive a 100 percent tax credit, up to 75 percent of their total state tax liability, for donations to 501(c)(3), nonprofit charitable Student Scholarship Organizations (SSOs) that award private school scholarships. Individuals can also donate up to $1,000 ($2,500 for married couples) to SSOs and receive a 100 percent credit against their state income taxes. An estimated 10,000 Georgia school children will benefit.
According to Lydia Glaize, a Fairburn, Georgia, parent who supported the legislation, "Children who will receive these scholarships will translate into less kids into juvenile detention, more who will graduate and more who will wind up in the labor force. That's a better standard of living for the entire Georgia community."
There are now 23 parental choice programs in 15 states, including Washington, D.C. The number of state legislatures passing parental choice legislation has also nearly tripled in the past five years, from six in 2003 to 16 so far this legislative session. But how does California compare?
Thirty years ago the Golden State was an undisputed national education leader. Today, California students rank 48th in reading and math achievement. Students in West Virginia, a state long associated with Appalachian poverty, outscored California students on three of the four 2007 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) assessments: 4th grade mathematics, 4th grade reading, and 8th grade reading. California tied with West Virginia on 8th grade math achievement.
A decade ago, the Golden State and Sunshine State chose radically different education reform paths. California ratcheted up its rate of school spending, while Florida maintained steady annual increases. Florida also implemented tax-credit and publicly-funded scholarships so parents of children with disabilities and students trapped in failing schools could enroll them in better schools. Thanks to competition for students and their education dollars, school quality has improved overall in Florida.
Currently, low-income Hispanic students in Florida outperform average California students on the 4th grade NAEP reading assessment, conducted in English. This in spite of the fact that California per-pupil funding is $2,300 more than Florida's, and California median household income is nearly $12,000 higher.
Such comparisons make it difficult to defend California's public schooling monopoly-especially since not one doomsday scenario predicted by status-quo apologists has ever materialized in any state with parental choice programs. Education monopolists are still repeating their tired myths, but fewer California lawmakers are buying them.
Thanks to a handful of State Assembly members, a record-setting five parental choice bills are being introduced this legislative session. This is the first time in five years that any such legislation has been introduced in the Golden State, and California leads the nation with five parental choice bills introduced this year, only recently joined by Virginia.
The proposed measures would free California children from unsafe schools (Assembly Bill 2361, authored by Rick Keene, R-Chico) and failing schools (AB2739, Alan Nakanishi, R-Lodi, and AB2561, Roger Niello, R-Fair Oaks). Other proposed laws would also provide parents of private school students with tax credits (AB2605, Nakanishi), and allow parents of special-needs children to choose another school (AB2290, John J. Benoit, R-Riverside) without having to hire an attorney or jump through protracted bureaucratic hoops.
"Families should be afforded more options and opportunities to appropriately educate their children," explains Assemblyman Nakanishi, sponsor of two parental-choice bills. "This includes providing more incentives to invest in a quality education. We should similarly consider implementing tax credit programs in California."
Every state with parental choice had to fight long and hard to win. Though four of the five California bills have been voted down or suspended in committee thus far, their very introduction marks a decisive turning point.
Elected officials are now fighting back against powerful opponents of parental choice in education. If lawmakers keep up the fight, schoolchildren will benefit and California may yet restore its status as a national leader.
Vicki E. Murray, Ph.D., is Education Studies Senior Policy Fellow at the Pacific Research Institute in Sacramento. A version of this op-ed appeared in the Orange County Register on May 22, 2008.
Posted by Featured Guest at 07:31 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)May 23, 2008
May 23, 2008
School choice saves kids
Colorado Springs Gazette, CO, May 23, 2008
There are now 23 parental choice programs in 15 states, including Washington, D.C. The number of state legislatures passing parental-choice legislation has also nearly tripled in the past five years, from six in 2003 to 16 so far this legislative session.
New personality will affect Ohio attorney general's office
Akron Beacon Journal, OH, May 22, 2008
Dann unleashed lawsuits against several charter schools, saying their failure to meet certain academic benchmarks violated their charitable status that allows them to receive taxpayer money.
A School That Cost $20,000 Not to Go To
New York Times, NY, May 23, 2008
This year, with public school notification through middle school coming later than ever, more parents who rolled the dice with public and private school applications could find themselves worrying about this unpleasant bind.
Seacoast Charter School parents hold their breath for state funding decision
Rockingham News, NH, May 23, 2008
Parents, teachers and school advocates from charter schools across the state rallied in Concord again last week to demonstrate their continued support of House Bill 1642, hoping the Senate will provide temporary funding to the schools for the next year.
School choices are the key to Milwaukee's economic competitiveness
Milwaukee Small Business Times, WI, May 23, 2008
The message is clear: We need to do better. Doing better is what motivated the MMAC to support legislation in 1994 to give low income parents a wider choice of educational options.
Voucher bill gets tweaked in Senate
The Times Picayune, LA, May 23, 2008
A grant program to pay private school tuition for students leaving New Orleans public schools is nearing a final vote in the Legislature.
May 22, 2008
School of Choice (Collin Hitt)
In 1997, Chicago International Charter School (CICS) opened its doors as part of a bold new experiment in public education. By allowing principals the freedom to manage, teachers the freedom to teach, and parents the freedom to choose, charter schools like Chicago International sought to end the cycle of failure in Chicago’s public schools.
Eleven years later, charter schools are no longer an experiment. They’re a proven success. Chicago is now home to 29 charter schools with more than 50 campuses, serving more than 10,000 students; and as Chicago Public Schools recently reported, charters are outperforming comparable public schools on four out of five measures of student performance.
The schools have also proven to be incredibly popular with parents. There are more than 12,000 families on waiting lists to enroll their children in one of Chicago’s charter schools, and in a recent poll, 25 percent of Illinois families specifically listed charter schools as their first choice in education.
On the surface, the sky seems to be the limit for the Chicago charter school movement. Unfortunately, charter schools face an arbitrary glass ceiling and will be unable to reach new heights unless state law is changed.
This fall, Amandla, a new charter school, will open on Chicago’s South Side. Unfortunately, due to current restrictions, Amandla will also be Chicago’s last new charter school. State law arbitrarily limits Chicago’s number of charter schools, and Amandla has received Chicago’s 30th and final charter.
For years, advocates of charter schools and parental choice have urged lawmakers to lift this cap. The General Assembly has been slow to act, and it is unlikely that the law will be changed in time for new charter schools to be approved to open in Chicago for the 2009-2010 school year.
In the meantime, however, hope is not completely lost for the thousands of Chicago families on waiting lists. State law allows many existing charter schools in Chicago - those that opened before 2003 - to expand the number of campuses they operate, as long as they have the approval of Chicago Public Schools. CPS has proven eager to help some of the city’s best charter schools including CICS, University of Chicago Charter Schools, and ASPIRA to open new campuses and serve a greater number of Chicago families. Many, like Chicago International, have planned new campuses for these communities across Chicago: Grand Crossing, West Town, Marquette Park, and Washington Heights.
Despite these schools’ successes, state lawmakers have sought to end this lifeline to Chicago families as well. Last year, a state representative introduced legislation to outlaw further growth of charter schools, maintaining that campus replication was an exploitation of a loophole in state law. Her fellow representatives, thankfully, disagreed and defeated the bill on the House floor.
Again in 2008, however, similar legislation was introduced by another state representative whose district is home to a charter school campus, a campus that would have never opened had this legislation been law from the beginning.
The effort to block charters is an affront to the families who are literally lining up for the chance at a better education. Campus replication has been pivotal in allowing charter schools to meet the unique needs of Chicago’s communities.
Since 1997, when CICS Bucktown and CICS Longwood first opened their doors, Chicago International has opened nine new campuses serving more than 4,500 students. Perspectives Charter Schools now operates multiple campuses. Noble Street Charter School operates five campuses. ASPIRA, UNO, and the University of Chicago now operate four campuses each. None of this growth would have been possible had the proposed legislation been law since the beginning.
Today, 30 new campuses are set to open in Chicago over the next several years in order to serve more than 10,000 students. Legislation that bans campus replication would undermine this planned growth and shortchange Chicago families. Parents and educators must urge lawmakers to halt attempts to harm efforts to improve public education through charter schools.
Moreover, parents and educators should urge lawmakers to allow Chicago’s charter school movement to reach its full potential. The arbitrary and restrictive cap of 30 on the number of charter schools permitted to open in Chicago is pitifully low. Unless a greater number of charters are made available to Chicago, there will be no hope for the Knowledge is Power Program to build upon its successful KIPP Ascend Campus in Lawndale, or for schools such as Connections Academy to come to town, or for unique home-grown charter schools to open in the city’s neighborhoods. The waiting lists, meanwhile, will continue to grow, denying parents the opportunity to choose high-quality education for their children.
It is time for charter schools to play a larger role in public education. They will not be allowed to do so until changes are made to the current restrictive state law. Parents and educators must contact their lawmakers and tell them the time for change, the time for more charter schools and better choices, has come.
Collin Hitt is director of education policy studies at the Illinois Policy Institute. He can be reached at collin@illinoispolicyinstitute.org.
This article first appeared in FocalPoint Magazine vol. 1 n.2, a project of the Chicago International Charter School. To learn more visit http://chicagointl.org
Posted by Featured Guest at 10:31 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)May 22, 2008
Charter School Map
Homeroom Blog, Los Angeles Times, CA, May 22, 2008
Families considering their school choices for the fall can look at more charter schools all the time. The Center for Education Reform has a website page ...
Take This Lesson To Heart: Public Schools Have Failed
D.C. Examiner, D.C., May 22, 2008
If you can read this, thank your teachers but not their union. For years, we’ve watched a systemic breakdown of American education — thanks in large part to the self-serving agenda of unions and the National Education Association.
KIPP Seeking Good Fits
Columbus Dispatch, OH, May 22, 2008
Although the KIPP Journey Academy won't start until Aug. 6, recruits to the new charter school are being taught its way now
Online School Targets Hispanics, At-Risk
Jackson Hole Star-Tribune, WY, May 22, 2008
The state's newest virtual charter school is expected to go online this fall, but only after a strategic campaign to recruit Hispanics and teenagers at risk of quitting or getting kicked out of public high schools.
D.C. Schools Chief Touts Value of Education Entrepreneurs
Education Week, MD, May 21, 2008
Ms. Rhee also noted that the city’s large charter school sector, which now serves about 30 percent of the city’s public school students, has been helpful in pressing for other changes, including what she touted as a “revolutionary” contract now being negotiated with the local teachers’ union.
The State of Georgia's Lead in School Choice
National Ledger, AZ, May 21, 2008
This past week Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue signed into law the most expansive school-choice program in the nation. Unlike similar programs in other States, this program has no demographic restriction.
School Vouchers Add Sizzle to S.C. House Race
Rock Hill Herald, SC, May 22, 2008
School vouchers are dominating the dialogue between Gullick and Boyd as they square off for the right to represent 33,000 people in South Carolina's largest House district.
School Charts Fundraising Course
Ventura County Star, CA, May 22, 2008
They recently created a nonprofit organization, called the University Charter Schools Education Foundation, to jump-start their fundraising efforts.
When Public School Doesn't Fit
Mountain Home News, ID, May 22, 2008
McKenna is just one option students and parents have when looking for alternatives to traditional public schools in Mountain Home.
May 21, 2008
Bar to Hit No Child Law Rising
Athens Banner Herald, GA, May 21, 2008
Georgia is one 23 states that likely will be hard-pressed to make needed improvements under the No Child Left Behind Act before the law's 2014 achievement deadline, according to a report released Tuesday by the nonpartisan Center on Education Policy.
Meet the New School Board
Washington Post, D.C., May 21, 2008
This meddlesome piece of legislation runs counter to the council's wise decision to let the mayor run the schools, and, more important, it's not in the best interest of schoolchildren.
D.C. Needs School Choice
D.C. Examiner, D.C., May 21, 2008
There is cause for some optimism: A growing number of District children are benefiting from the opportunity to attend a school of their parents’ choice. … More than 20,000 children — about a quarter of the city’s public school students — now attend one of D.C.’s 72 public charter schools.
Schools Make Headway
Baltimore Sun, MD, May 21, 2008
The success of these high schools, the principals, teachers and students say, lies not in a quirky educational fad but in something as simple as a faculty that has bonded with the 400 or so students who attend each school.
Ruling Is Right, But Issue Not Over
East Valley Tribune, AZ, May 20, 2008
We have long urged judges to honestly apply the state and federal constitutions to cases that come before them, rather than invent fanciful interpretations to carry out political agendas or to craft new policies that should be determined by the other branches of government.
May 20, 2008
May 20, 2008
More Schools to Face Law's Consequences
New York Times, NY, May 20, 2008
Schools are increasingly looking at those kind of consequences for failing to raise math and reading scores. The federal No Child Left Behind law says that by the 2013-14 school year all students must pass state tests in these subjects.
What Separates Charter Schools from the Rest
Denver Post, CO, May 20, 2008
I strongly disagree with letter- writer Rosalie Goldman. She writes: “Charter schools are very selective as to the students they admit and can ‘exit’ students who are not ‘making the grade.’ ”
School Expands Teaching Program
Colorado Springs Gazette, CO, May 19, 2008
An experiment at The Classical Academy went so well, school officials are expanding the program.
Voucher Deception on Ballot
St. Petersburg Times, FL, May 20, 2008
If the actual purpose eluded you, then the Florida Taxation and Budget Reform Commission would be pleased.
Rewriting the Locke High School Story
Los Angeles Times, CA, May 20, 2008
Once a beacon of hope in a neighborhood blighted by the Watts riots of 1965, for too many years now Locke has been a poster child for everything wrong with education in Los Angeles' poor neighborhoods.
Ruling Casts a Cloud Over Private School Tax Credits
Tucson Citizen, AZ, May 20, 2008
Last week's appeals court decision on funding for private schools should cast doubt on the privatization of education at public expense.
Bills to Give La. More Charter Schools
The Advocate, LA, May 20, 2008
Legislation that would allow for an increased number of charter schools in Louisiana passed through the state House of Representatives on Monday.
May 19, 2008
May 19, 2008
Democrats for School Choice
Wall Street Journal, May 19, 2008
Our guess is that low-income parents in Florida have gotten a taste of the same school choice privileges that middle- and upper-income families have always enjoyed.
Devontez 'Tez' Blackwell
Washington Post, D.C., May 19, 2008
There are many ways to make the world a better place, and Tez, a junior at Cesar Chavez Public Charter School for Public Policy, is making his contribution one child at a time.
Florida Teachers Union to Fight Move to Revive Vouchers
Orlando Sentinel, FL, May 18, 2008
The state's powerful teachers union is launching a two-pronged attack on two constitutional amendments designed to restart former Gov. Jeb Bush's controversial school-voucher program.
Charter Schools Want More Funding
Hudson Reporter, NJ, May 18, 2008
Charter schools throughout New Jersey plan to rally this Monday, May 19 in the front of the State House in Trenton.
No Argument on This Charter
Vero Beach Press-Journal, FL, May 18, 2008
"Free" public education in buildings constructed without a dime of local tax dollars is a great deal. That's a defining benefit of charter schools, and the power of educational choice at work.
City Charter Schools Should Be Able to Recruit Students
Sacramento Bee, CA, May 19, 2008
Sacramento parents and students have access to more high school options than ever. But there's a flaw in this panoply of choices: Some of the public schools authorized by the school district are shut out of the recruiting pipeline.
Public Alternatives: Fully Fund Charter Schools
Union Leader, NH, May 19, 2008
SOME of New Hampshire's public charter schools are sinking financially through no fault of their own. As the state considers whether to throw them a lifeline, some misperceptions about charter schools apparently persist.
New Course for Charters?
Philadelphia Daily News, PA, May 19, 2008
The SRC this week is expected to turn thumbs down on the new charter school applicants but ask them instead to bid on converting some of the district's most academically troubled schools into charters.
Closed Catholic School May Become Charter School
KPRC Local 2, TX, May 17, 2008
The Houston Independent School District may have a plan to keep students together even after their campus closes for good, KPRC Local 2, Your Education Station, reported Friday.
Tucson School 'Best in Nation'
Arizona Daily Star, AZ, May 17, 2008
Tucson's BASIS Charter School is heralded as the top public school in the United States in the new issue of Newsweek magazine.
May 16, 2008
May 16, 2008
Teach for America
New York Times, NY, May 16, 2008
The results suggest that states that want students to do better in math and science need to focus recruitment on more selective colleges instead of on traditional teacher education programs, which are often little more than diploma mills.
Take a Stand for Choice
Press-Register, AL, May 16, 2008
On the issue of school choice, however, he has given hints that he might depart from liberal orthodoxy and make common cause with his ideological opponents. We urge him to make that leap, for the sake of millions of children trapped in failing public schools.
Rhee Offers Plan To Improve D.C.'s Troubled Schools
Washington Post, D.C., May 16, 2008
D.C. Schools Chancellor Michelle A. Rhee detailed plans yesterday for overhauling 26 academically troubled schools, saying she will replace principals and teachers, hire private education-management firms and install instructional programs to boost student achievement.
Ariz. School Voucher Programs Ruled Unconstitutional
The Arizona Republic, AZ, May 16, 2008
It is unconstitutional for the state to give parents money to help pay private-school tuition for their disabled or foster children, the Arizona Court of Appeals decided Thursday.
Senate Passes Reprieve for NH Charter Schools
The Union Leader, NH, May 16, 2008
The New Hampshire Senate threw charter schools a lifeline yesterday, agreeing to a bill that could bring money they need to stay open.
Cumberland Charter School Plan Criticized
Providence Journal, RI , May 16, 2008
The state Department of Education and the Rhode Island League of Charter Schools say that legislation authorizing “mayoral academies,” or schools run by municipal administrators, would create an unequal, “two-tiered” system of charter schools.
Charter School Graduates Every Child
Twin Cities Planet, MN, May 15, 2008
YES is a sixth-12th grade public charter school in Houston, Texas, that boasts a 100 percent graduation rate. Melanie Singleton, a product of YES, is a Columbia graduate who has returned to teach.
May 15, 2008
May 15, 2008
Suit vs. Charter Law in Works
Atlanta Journal Constitution, GA, May 15, 2008
With Gov. Sonny Perdue's signing this week of a controversial new education law, local public school systems appear ready to head to the courts to fight it. "We will be a part of the lawsuit," said Decatur City Schools board Chairwoman Valarie Wilson.
Celebrating Colorado Charter Schools
Denver Post, CO, May 15, 2008
On May 7, the Denver Post ran a great story called "Charter-school fans want more." The article gave three Denver charter schools much-deserved attention and credit for the strides they are making with traditionally underserved students.
D-11 Just Wants Meat in the Seat
Colorado Springs Gazette, CO, May 15, 2008
Leaders of District 11 need to stop trying to protect yesterday's monopoly and start worrying about the needs of students and families in Colorado Springs.
Fla. to Consider Key Church-State Question
Washington Post, D.C., May 15, 2008
The potential repeal of a century-old Florida law barring state funding for religiously affiliated organizations is to be put before the voters there this fall,…
New Charter Schools Law a Double-Edged Sword
Athens Banner-Herald, GA, May 14, 2008
With the deadline for signing or vetoing the handiwork of this year's state legislative assembly looming, Gov. Sonny Perdue signed into law Tuesday a potentially problematic bill allowing charter school applicants rejected by their local school systems to submit the application to a new state charter school commission.
Commission Asked to Delay Approving New Charter Schools
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, May 15, 2008
No new charter schools will open in Philadelphia if the School Reform Commission heeds the advice of its Office of Charter Schools.
Lifting the Cap on Charter Schools
Chicago Tribune, IL, May 14, 2008
The report, "Achievement and Attainment in Chicago's Charter Schools," shows that where it counts most - high school graduation and college enrollment - charter public schools are substantially ahead of the curve.
Derailed by the Rank and File?
Mike Antonucci's EAI Communique was full of choice bits this week, but we particularly appreciated the first item. It seems the NEA's got McCain in its sights lately, apparently distressed at the disconnect between its own political agenda and its members' political POV. Says Antonucci:
"...internal polling shows more than 41% of NEA members "have a positive opinion of John McCain," even though his position on education issues is almost always opposite that of the union. Forty-one percent might not seem all that great at first glance, but NEA is a key component of the Democratic Party coalition. The union is worried enough about it that, according to one director, "a massive education effort of our own members about the candidates and their stands on issues has begun."
"...NEA's ability to sway the views of its own members should not be underestimated. Nor should anyone believe that McCain's relative popularity among teachers is in any great measure due to his education policies. But NEA's own information has often shown that its rank-and-file members (particularly education support employees) are much more representative of the American voting public than its activists are. This information indicates that education employees, like most everyone else, don't choose a President based on education policies.
And, hopefully, that education professionals don't determine their politics - or even their outlook on education policy and practice, from merit pay to charter schools to achievement accountability - in the direction of, and at the discretion of, the elite few who steer that status-quo freight train that is the National Education Association.
Posted by Edspresso at 11:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)May 14, 2008
May 14, 2008
Governor's signature helps charter schools
Athens Banner-Herald, GA, May 14, 2008
A trio of bills signed into law Tuesday will give a boost to charter schools in Georgia.
Charter Laws Rated
Education Week, MD, May 13, 2008
The Center for Education Reform, which promotes school choice, awarded seven states and the District of Columbia a grade of A and two states an F in a new report…
Should Student Results Count in Grading Teachers?
Wall Street Journal, May 14, 2008
United Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten says, in effect, you can't measure the impact of teachers on a student's academic achievement.
Teach for America Sees Surge in Popularity
New York Times, NY, May 14, 2008
Teach for America, the program that recruits top college graduates to teach for two years in public schools that are difficult to staff, has experienced a year of prodigious growth …
Don't Punish Charter Schools' Success
Miami Herald, FL, May 14, 2008
Today, one-third of Pines public-school children attend a charter school, all of them exceptional schools.
Teachers Union Poised to Fight Amendments
Orlando Sentinel, FL, May 14, 2008
Major interest groups are gearing up to campaign against three constitutional amendments that will be on the November ballot: two that would authorize school vouchers…
Charter School Wannabes Get More Choices
Atlanta Journal-Constitution, GA, May 13, 2008
Charter school startups in Georgia got a boost Tuesday as Gov. Sonny Perdue signed three bills extending school choice options and offering better benefits for teachers in those publicly-funded schools.
The Gap: Schools That Don't Work Vs. Schools That Do
Wednesday Journal, IL, May 14, 2008
Here's an even more radical concept: If District 97 wants to improve the lot of our African-American students, it needs to look to schools on Chicago's West Side.
Let down, again, by LAUSD
Los Angeles Times, CA, May 13, 2008
Protecting an alleged child molester won't get you fired from L.A. Unified, but supporting a charter movement will.
May 07, 2008
Charter Schools - Hype or Hope - It's Your Choice
Over at the US News & World Report blog, a rather benign post on the occasion of National Charter Schools Week drew the ire of one "Caroline, San Francisco public school parent, advocate, volunteer and blogger, and charter-school skeptic," who dismissed charter schools as all 'hype' and 'hooey'. Well, Caroline, we believe in charter schools. And we couldn't let the uninformed fall victim to the misinformed, so CER's own Kara Hornung responds:
For the past sixteen years charter schools have been making a difference in the lives of our children. Today, over 4,200 charter schools are operating serving 1.2 million families according to The Center for Education Reform (CER). Contrary to Ms. Caroline's claim that this movement is "all hype and no benefit" I'd like to take a moment to explain why the above-mentioned parent is vying for an option and why so many parents across the country are lining up for better educational opportunities.
Today, the U.S. ranks 21st out of 29 countries in terms of mathematics competency, and only 32 percent of our nation's fourth graders can read at proficiency. And while we funnel more and more money into conventional public schools to "fix" the problems, we still do not see the results. Back in 1992 when the first charter school opened in St. Paul, MN, the idea was simple - create schools that are accountable and innovative. Accountability is the hallmark of charter schools, and to date eleven percent of charter schools that have ever opened have closed. Where's that accountability in the conventional public school system? Innovation #1 "pioneered" in a charter school that didn't already exist in traditional public schools: holding schools accountable for results.
In an "apples-to-apples" comparison between charter schools and their closest traditional public schools with similar demographics, Harvard University found charter school students outpacing their conventional school peers by as much as five percent nationwide. When looking at state-specific assessment data, charters continue to achieve at even higher rates. Innovation #2 "pioneered" in a charter school that didn't already exist in traditional public schools: charter schools achieve!
Charter schools on average are funded at 61 percent of their district counterparts. If you take the time to "Follow the Money" you'll see that public students in charter schools are being shortchanged by politics and the status quo that claims charters are draining money. Innovation #3 "pioneered" in a charter school that didn't already exist in traditional public schools: charters are doing more with less.
Because they are not weighed down by bureaucracy and red tape, charter schools and their teachers are not limited or discouraged from going the extra mile to help students achieve. The well-know Knowledge is Power Program (KIPP) has students in school from 7:30 am to 5:00 pm, every other Saturday and during the summer. Teachers at many charter schools give their students 24-hour accessibility in case students need extra help. According to CER's Annual Survey of Charter Schools, 32 percent of the nation's charter schools have longer school days, an extended school year or a combination of both. And teachers are compensated based on their performance and willingness to do more. Innovation #4 "pioneered" in a charter school that didn't already exist in traditional public schools: charters treat teachers like the professionals they are by raising expectations and providing them a choice.
Ms. Caroline also raises another great myth about charter schools. She claims that charters don't have to enroll the "dysfunctional, alienated, low-functioning, high-need students from dysfunctional, alienated, low-functioning, high-need families." But in reality charters do not "cherry-pick" the best students from conventional public schools. On the contrary, half of charter school students fall into categories defined as at-risk (51 percent), minority (53 percent) or low-income (54 percent). Given the freedom to work hard, charter schools have dramatically changed the outcomes for students in these categories, giving them second chances and bringing new life to their home and community environments. Innovation #5 "pioneered" in a charter school that didn't already exist in traditional public schools: charters don't throw the baby out with the bath water and just label at-risk children as "dysfunctional" - they find solutions to reach even the hardest-to-teach students.
Are parents really lining up for charter schools? The answer is yes!
In 2001, 61 percent of charter schools had waiting lists. Recent news from Harlem found that even after opening an additional 4 campuses, Harlem Success Academy Charter School could not meet the demand of 3,600 parents vying for only 600 spots in its recent lottery. Classical Academy in Colorado has a waiting list of 6,000 students. Boston's charter schools are in high demand: just a few months ago it was reported that there were 5,649 applications for 1,249 spots across Beantown. Innovation #6 "pioneered" in a charter school that didn't already exist in traditional public schools: creating schools that parents and students want to attend, rather than being forced to because of where they live.
It's for all of these innovative and accountable reasons and more that parents like the one who attended the event on Capitol Hill are opting for educational choices like charter schools. And while there will always be skeptics and defenders of the status quo out there who believe it is all "hooey," we can't deny that charter schools are serving the diverse needs of their students. One size does not fit all, and those who believe there is only one way to think about public education are going against the freedom and right of choice inherent in our country's founding principles. While it may not be the choice for Ms. Caroline, it remains a choice -and ought to be so, according to 78 percent of Americans - for the hundreds of thousands of families glad to have the charter school option, and hundred of thousands more on waiting lists hoping for the same choice.
Posted by Edspresso at 05:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)May 7, 2008
Teachers Weigh In On Tenure, Evaluations
Washington Post, D.C., May 7, 2008
More than half of teachers believe it's too difficult to weed out ineffective teachers who have tenure, and nearly half say they personally know such a teacher.
Sizing Up the Charter School Movement
U.S. News & World Report, DC, May 6, 2008
It's National Charter Schools Week, and that means lots of chatter in Washington, D.C., about whether charter schools hurt or improve public education.
Rhee's Need to Hurry Runs Into Parents' Fear of Change
Washington Post, D.C., May 7, 2008
The next four months, leading up to the start of the 2008-09 academic year, will be a critical, perhaps defining, period for the chancellor.
Poor Charter Oversight
Fort Wayne Journal Gazette, IN, May 7, 2008
As the state moves to improve accountability for public spending, charter school boards stand as an illogical exception to those efforts.
St. Louis Gets State’s First Unionized Charter School
St. Louis American, MO, May 6, 2008
The Construction Careers Center in St. Louis will become Missouri’s first unionized charter school, a move initiated by the school’s employees to improve working and learning conditions, AFT St. Louis, Local 420, announced today.
Changes at New Orleans Schools Bring Gains in Test Scores
New York Times, NY, May 7, 2008
A broad education overhaul under way here has produced improvement in test scores, results released Tuesday showed, though many students are still struggling.
Minnesota Graded 'B' For School Choice Options
Alexandria Echo Press, MN, May 7, 2008
Minnesota ranked fifth in school choice options that increase accountability and improve student achievement according to the Choice and Education Across the States report by The Heartland Institute.
Religious School Vouchers: An Obstacle to Education Reform
Red Orbit, TX, May 7, 2008
The U.S. Supreme Court, in what I believe was one of its worst church-state opinions ever, upheld voucher aid for religious schools in 2002. Since then, the debate has shifted away from the constitutionality of vouchers to their effectiveness.
Dozens of States Consider School-Choice Legislation
Citizen Link, CO, May 5, 2008
A record 44 states have introduced school-choice legislation this year. Lawmakers are using tax credits and other incentives to help low-income families get their children out of failing schools.
May 05, 2008
May 5, 2008
The Center for Education Reform Provides Insight Into the State of School Choice and 4 Innovative New Tools To Strengthen Awareness
PR Newswire, May 5, 2008
Washington-based education reform advocacy group unveils four new online resources to ensure better educational opportunities for all children.
Stay The Course On School Reform
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, May 5, 2008
Though special interests have grudgingly accepted some reforms, far too many good ideas, such as meaningful school choice, remain "out of bounds."
Funding, Test Scores Seen As Key To Catholic Schools' Future
Chicago Sun-Times, IL, May 5, 2008
Catholic schools need to find new sources of funding and break out test results from individual schools if they are to reverse a long-term trend of declining enrollment, a new national study finds.
School Choice Helps Disabled Ariz. Students
East Valley Tribune, AZ, May 3, 2008
Last year, Arizona joined Florida, Ohio, Georgia, and Utah when it began offering scholarships to students with disabilities that they could use to pay private school tuition.
Turmoil Racks Teachers Union
Washington Post, D.C, May 4, 2008
Turmoil in the 4,200-member Washington union is surfacing at a pivotal time: The organization is grappling with the coming displacement of hundreds of teachers…
Radical Initiative On Ballot
The Ledger, FL, May 4, 2008
These proposed changes to the state constitution are as radical as they are unwise.
Charter Schools Can Be A Valuable Resource
Augusta Chronicle, GA, May 3, 2008
The education field is second only to corporate America when it comes to chasing new fads that promise revolutionary changes but produce little more than a new set of buzzwords.
Boy Sees Charter As Gateway To College
The Tennessean, TN, May 5, 2008
A year later, Devontez is happy he made the decision to leave his zoned school, McKissack Middle, to attend LEAD Academy.
NYC Spends $65M A Year On Teachers Not In Classrooms
Associated Press, May 4, 2008
The number of city teachers yanked from their classrooms because of accusations of wrongdoing has doubled in four years, and some spend years collecting their salaries while awaiting disciplinary hearings, a newspaper reported Sunday.
Charter, Public Schools Fighting For Students
Galveston Daily News, TX, May 4, 2008
That system of school funding - doling out dollars per student - is fueling fierce competition between public and charter schools as they try to enroll and keep as many students as possible.
New San Bernardino Charter School To Explore Science
Press-Enterprise, CA, May 3, 2008
After years of academic success with a technology-oriented charter school in the High Desert, the Lewis Center for Educational Research hopes for similar results with a science-focused campus slated to open in San Bernardino.
