LWVeducation
Florida has charter fraud problems and so does Ohio–among other states. Privatization of schools opens up opportunities for profiteering without oversight. The federal government has finally gotten involved in the Ohio charter scandals. It took awhile. They are holding up a $71 million grant to they had awarded to expand charters. This is one of those scandals from which the Governor cannot hide.
Academica, the largest charter for profit management firm, strikes again. This is one of those stories that has sequels. Last year, I posted a story from the Miami Herald about Doral Academy high school. It ‘loaned’ $400,000 of public money to Doral College to launch an online dual enrollment program. Doral College was unaccredited and had no students. Both the charter high school and the college are operated by Academica. The auditor took exception…again.
It is time to say ‘No’ to constitutional amendments that strip local control of schools.
The League of Women Voters has issued an ACTION ALERT. Two bills have been filed to amend the Florida Constitution:
HJR 7059 would strip local school district authority to approve charter schools and place the authority in a state controlled charter institute.
HJR 530 would allow cities to withdraw from county school districts and form their own.
We need to OPPOSE these bills. CLICK HERE to see how.
The constitutional amendment to create a state charter school system passed the House K-12 subcommittee this morning. We really do not want this. Contact your legislators. It would take a 60% vote in the Florida House and Senate to put it on the November ballot.
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I just saw a post from Diane Ravitch citing a New York Daily News report. Parents have organized against Success Academy Charter Schools in New York. I wondered when this lawsuit would happen. The charges include:
This session the legislature has bills ranging from accountability to discipline and sex, according to the Tallahassee Democrat. The State LWV Florida sent out a helpful list of education bills that will be heard in committee tomorrow. The Tallahassee Democrat overview is helpful to understand the legislative priorities.
Legislation
HJR 759 would change the constitution to allow the Department of Education to establish a statewide system for approving charter schools. Currently, school districts authorize charter schools and the State Board of Education can over rule school board decisions.
The constitution requires a unified system of public schools. This amendment would lead to separate systems which then are subject to different funding streams and laws. It takes away control from local school boards.
WE MUST OPPOSE THIS BILL VIGOROUSLY. IT IS FILED BY MANNY DIAZ FROM MIAMI.
Are charter schools an emotional response by inner city low income families to long standing state funding inequities? A University of Virginia Law Review article addresses concerns that school funding inequities in Black urban areas lead to a tolerance of unfettered growth in charter schools.
The federal government support for charters also feeds the expansion without sufficient regulation. The net result may be a bubble and crash much like the recent financial crisis. What should be done to avoid a cataclysmic fall that could destroy communities?
Mother Jones summarizes the three practices that lead to serious mismanagement. I add a summary of the status Florida’s legislation to address these concerns.
Legal frameworks for charter districts plus the creation of the Florida Charter School Institute, move Florida toward a separate educational system from the traditional public school system.
This bill creates the Institute for Charter School Innovation, Charter School Collaborative Networks, High Impact Charter Networks and some greater transparency in the backgrounds of charter school service providers.
The Charter High Impact Charter Network is a structure similar to those in other states that are called takeover districts in low income areas whose public schools are turned into charters. These take over districts have been the source of significant community resistance and have a poor academic track record. The bill is sponsored by Representative Bob Cortes from Seminole and Orange Counties. HB 7029 School Choice will be heard in the House Education Appropriation Committee on Monday.
Major components of the bill are listed below. The provisions to revise the calculation of full time equivalence for online learning and credit for End of Course exams are in the bill but not included in this summary.
by Meredith Machen
League of Women Voters of New Mexico Study
Charter School Regulations: Public School Funding, Accountability, and Transparency
Scope of Study: In the context of the growing emphasis of some governmental policy-makers on promoting charter schools, this study will review information regarding the regulations and policies from which charter schools are released to determine if the exemptions from regulations may impede the progress of traditional public schools and the sufficiency of funding for public schools.
Because charter schools are publicly funded, the study raises the question of whether they should be held to standards of accountability and transparency that are at least as rigorous as those of traditional public schools. The study will also examine the need for changes in charter school regulations regarding their missions (which now allow adults to get their high school credentials, have specialized curricula, and alternative assessments), their governing bodies (which are not publicly elected or complying with the Open Meetings Act), their operations (which are not publicly audited), and rules for authorization and reauthorization.
