Superintendents Argue Before State Board of Education

Florida’s superintendents’ association argued before the State Board of Education that the Schools of Hope take hope away from districts. These ‘takeover’ schools become charters and further drain funding from existing schools. They take capital outlay funds for school maintenance and give it to privately owned charters. Miami-Dade Superintendent Carvalho estimates the cost to his district is $23 million. Even conservative rural area districts are alarmed at the impact of current State policy on their districts.

It is time the public weighs in to support our public schools. Florida’s approach to school reform is moving toward privatizing our system. In countries like Chile, where privatization was pushed by the government, there is a three tiered system. The wealthy send their children to fully private schools. The upper middle class attend voucher supported private schools. Everyone else sends children to schools with a minimum level of funding. In other words, the privatization movement simply takes the inequities we now have and makes them much worse. For most families, privatization is a disaster. There is no pretense that families should have equal access to a free high quality education.

It may seem that it is not possible to correct our course. In fact, the only way to make changes is to insist our elected officials hear what we want. It’s up to us. Make your voices heard. Don’t take our public schools for granted.

THE BIGGEST PROBLEM WE FACE IS TAKING OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM FOR GRANTED.

http://www.baynews9.com/content/news/baynews9/news/article.html/content/news/articles/cfn/2017/7/17/superintendents_to_f.html

Gadsden Turn around

http://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/2017/07/17/gadsden-turnaround-plan-approved-condition-bring-charter-operator-2018/486291001/
http://www.wftv.com/news/9-investigates/9-investigates-charter-school-defends-spending-tax-money-on-commercials/548769581

A Charter Military Academy Cries Foul, You Decide

Just down the road from here, Francis Marion Military Academy received a surprise visit from Marion County school officials. What they found was alarming. The Office of the Inspector General in the Florida DOE has gotten involved. What the visit revealed was appalling. A charter school board member called the visit illegal. Is it wrong to go into a school with a history of problems? Is it wrong to discover fake classes and credits; is it wrong for students to be left alone in a locked room?

Some would think that the school was concerned that the district found out what was wrong. You can read the story in the Ocala Star Banner and find out for yourself. When is it illegal for the district to investigate a charter school?

http://www.ocala.com/news/20170713/district-report-slams-francis-marion-military-academy

WCJB TV interview today

The PACT against the proposed CSUSA school in Gainesville was on TV News today. Due to the blog technical problem, I can’t post the video. But, you can go to:

http://www.wcjb.com/content/news/Charter-school-proposal-sparks-debate-435040253.html

Just Google WCJB charter school sparks debate and the video will come up.

Why are school districts suing the State?

Most things come down to money, but not everything does. HB 7069 hurts districts in a serious way financially. It hurts the entire school system of Florida in a fundamental way. The Florida constitution requires that Florida provide a ‘safe, efficient and uniform, and high quality’ free system of education to all students. Local school boards are responsible for running it. With this new legislation just signed by Governor Scott this summer, nothing will stay the same.

Read the Sun Sentinel article that explains how we have parallel systems of education. Districts have no oversight over charters; they are on their own. Yet, it is public money.

This is the link or just google ‘Sun Sentinel public education assault.’

(Having a technical issue with the blog, so can’t embed links until it is fixed.)

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/opinion/fl-op-editorial-public-education-assault-20170713-story.html

CSUSA Just Shorted Teacher Salaries: “Glitch:, they said

Manatee charter school teachers reported that their summer checks were short changed. CSUSA spokesperson, Colleen Reynolds said that it was not just Manatee charters but was ‘system wide’. It is a shame for the teachers. There must be thousands of CSUSA teachers in the 84 schools they operate in eight states.

When did it become a good idea to have ‘national’ schools? What is happening to local schools run by local school boards?

Charles Dickens says….

I am really careful about my tone. I want to be factual and respectful. But, I had this phrase ringing in my head today about the charter school law. I will be restrained. Nevertheless, in Oliver Twist, Mr. Bumble has a classic line about inappropriate, inaccurate laws. Anyone remember what it was??

Judge rules CSUSA does not have to be innovative or anything really

Palm Beach Schools filed a suit over the CSUSA, for-profit charter school chain, proposals to open four new charters. They are not innovative. They are located where not needed. They do not have to have local governing boards for their schools. In other words, anyone can open a school anywhere for any reason.

It does not take a genius to understand that this is a road to ruin for everyone. The legislature has enabled unregulated and unreasonable charter school expansion. It is time to change the laws. Only you can do this by either changing the legislatures’ minds or changing the legislators themselves.

Join the PACT. Let’s get moving. Go to: parentsagainstcorporatetakeovers.com

See: Sun Sentinel July 14, 2017

Want to Start an Anti-For Profit Charter Movement?

Diane explains about our PACT against for-profit charters. Support is growing.

See PACT advocacy site here: https://www.parentsagainstcorporatetakeovers.com

See Diane Ravitch’s column about PACT here:

https://dianeravitch.net/2017/07/16/florida-parents-fight-corporate-takeovers-of-public-money/

See today’s editorial about us in the Gainesville Sun.

http://www.gainesville.com/opinion/20170716/editorial-join-debate-over-planned-charter-school

Want to start a movement against for-profits in your area? Let us know.