Today, the House Education and Labor Committee held a hearing on charter schools in order to look at “building on what works“, based on the success of schools such as Roxbury Prep in Boston, Green Dot in Los Angeles, and KIPP all over. Some highlights:

- Assistant Deputy Secretary Jim Shelton dispelling the myth that charters cream the best students from their conventional counterparts

- Rep. McKeon’s acknowledgment that charters are essential to turning around our nation’s failing school system

- Steve Barr’s discussion of Green Dots’ efforts to turnaround L.A.’s troubled Locke High School

- John King’s assertion that “our students look the same as conventional public school students, but are outperforming them”

- Jim Goenner’s description of his battle scars earned by closing schools because it was in the best interest of kids

The real takeaway was not replication, but responsibility:

- The responsibility of charters to continue to drive innovation in the education sector

- The primary responsibility states have for improving charter school laws

- The responsibility of authorizers to make certain schools are serving their students first and foremost

One big responsibility all charter advocates must continue to be mindful of is making sure lawmakers understand what charter schools actually are and how they serve their communities and the country at large.

This last point was made painfully clear in the waning minutes of questioning this morning as certain Congressmen and women illustrated their utter lack of knowledge, understanding and/or acceptance of these innovative schools, even after two hours of success stories.

The battle continues…

(For our live impressions straight from the hearing, please follow our Twitter stream.)

Bad news Fridays are becoming a theme for Sec. Arne Duncan and his public affairs team. News of an April 6th letter to parents serving notice on the potential for their children’s participation in the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program for the upcoming school year wasn’t made public until the Washington Post brought the situation to light in a Saturday editorial on the 11th.This letter signaled a surprise move by the Administration to deny any new scholarships for the upcoming year, even though the program is scheduled to continue at least through 2010.

The Department’s sympathy note contained three interesting tidbits:

1) It was dated April 6 - three days after a government evaluation of D.C. OSP showcased the effectiveness of the program. Knowing that no government agency could approve even a small letter without an amazing amount of revision and drafting, the DOE must have chosen not to reveal this (none too small) bit of information in their burial of the report.

2) Further, one sentence in the letter reads: “Enrollment for DCPS begins on April 1, 2009.” First of all, does this hint at the fact that the letter may have been in early drafts prior to April? How long has this plan been in motion? Secondly, this information can’t be helpful to parents. It’s like receiving a 30-day notice after you’ve been evicted - more than a little too late.

3) Co-signed by Jim Shelton (formerly program director of the Education Division at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and East Coast partner of the NewSchools Venture Fund), it is the only official notice we’ve seen of the fact that Duncan has filled the post of Assistant Deputy Secretary for OII. (Thanks for the heads up!)

The irony of the letter’s close would be hilarious if it wasn’t so sad:

“We hope this information is helpful and look forward to working with you so that you can make the best choices for your child for the 2009-2010 school year.”