Category Archives: Charter Schools

Charters in Perspective: A Quick Quiz and Answers

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compare-643305_1280Are you aware of the Spencer Foundation’s Charter in Perspective Project?  Issues are presented from different perspectives e.g. parental choice, preservation of public schools, and test beds for innovation.

Just for fun, here are some quick questions drawn from information on the site.

 

 

 

  • What percentage of students are enrolled in charter schools in the U.S.?  What is the percentage in New Orleans?
  • Is public opinion about charter schools well informed?
  • On average, how do traditional and charter students compare on achievement gains?

If you prefer a Common Core critical thinking question, you might ask:

  • How would you account for the difference between the reasons parents give for sending children to charters and the charters parents actually select?

The answers and much more follow.

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A Local Charter Implodes: Part II: No one in Charge?

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leader precocious-432664_1280 When charters go wrong, parents have to vote with their feet.  They chose to send their children to charters, and they can choose to leave.  This was the message our local charter received.

Is leaving the school the only option?  Aren’t districts responsible for charters?  After all, districts sign the charter contracts.  More often than not, the answer is ‘No’.  Why is that?  Who is in charge?

 

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Broward School Board Says No to Money

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by Carol Clark Hentschel, Broward County

ft lauderdaleMaybe not everything is decided by how much money is thrown at a problem.  Maybe some people tell it like it is.  This has happened in Broward County, Florida.  Common sense ruled.  Find out why Broward’s school board said no to over three million dollars.  Here is a post from LWV Broward.

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Maine Charter Schools Are Not Like Florida’s

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Maine Starting a charter in Maine is very different than in Florida.  There are basically two routes.   The district can issue a request for proposal that specifies the type of charter desired.  The Charter School Commission can also authorize a charter school, but it is limited to ten schools over ten years.  Charter schools have their own district instead of being part of the local school district.  This is very different from the system in Florida.
Maine had a curious funding plan for charters.  Local districts paid tuition for students to attend them.  Now, the state will pay the bill directly to charters.  There are only six charter schools in Maine, and one is a virtual charter.  The net effect is that money for charters will come off the top.  Thus, local districts will end up sharing the cost rather than having each district subtract funding from its budget.
It is early days for charter schools in Maine.  The impact of the change from district funding to the State is yet to be determined.  Next year, district funding will not be reduced for students attending charter schools.  What happens after that is yet to be determined.

Collier School Board Splits Over Charter Schools

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Collier-County_logo-stackedTwo newly elected Collier County school board members have much in common.  Their families started Mason Classical Academy, a charter school.  They tend to vote together.

Other board members take exception to their stance against public schools.  A group of citizens has organized to support public schools.  The battle lines have formed.Continue reading→

Duval County: School Choice is a False Choice

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cash-burningAs charters in Duval County increase, the school district faces a $10 million dollar shortfall.  Should the district give up reading coaches for traditional schools?

The options for balancing the district budget are not good.  If the district draws down its reserve fund, what do they do next year?  The district anticipates that there will be 2,000 new enrollments in charters next fall.  Charters in Duval County have their own challenges.

On the surface, it would appear that Duval County, like many counties, is facing the reality that splitting money with charters means that no one has enough to do what needs to be done.  What is going on?

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Adding New Charter Schools: Will FSU Know Best?

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buck stopsWho should approve new charter schools–local districts or the state?   Would a university institute funded by the legislature do a better job?  Now the State Board of Education has the final say.  But, they do not always get it right.

Legislation moving through the Florida House and Senate includes a provision to create the Florida State University Charter School Institute.  It would review charter proposals and conduct evaluation studies.  Will FSU be able to improve the charter authorization process?  Can it evaluate local needs, or do they not matter?  If a form is filled out correctly, is that enough to make a charter school a valuable contribution to a local district?

I watched the April School Board of Education meeting.  A comment was made about how fortunate Florida was to have the DOE, the Governor, and the legislature all on the same school reform page.  Yet, when the attorney for Palm Beach County spoke about denials of charter schools, it is clear that there are practical, important issues that  are too easily dismissed.  Some checks and balances are needed.

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Charter vs. TPS: Latest CREDO Study Results

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horse-316959_1280CREDO’s 2015 report on charter achievement in urban areas gives a different twist on the data.  You can find results by urban areas in each state.

I looked at Florida.  Our charters do not do as well as in other states.  The data is broken down by demographics, grade span, across years and annual results from 2007-2011.  Comparisons are made for achievement gains for students in charters and a matched set of students in traditional public schools (TPS) in the areas that charters serve.  And the winners by Florida school district are?

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