In the June 2015 Florida Auditor General’s report, many charters are running in the red. Is this serious, or is debt OK?
This is the kind of information that ‘must give us pause’. There is more to know in this report.
Category Archives: Florida
Florida State Board of Ed Approves Background Checks
The State Board of Education not only approved business background checks for charter operators who want to open new schools…
Charter Proposal Reviews: Small Celebration Due?
The Naples News ran a story that could give us heart.
The Florida State Board of Education is expected to vote on a rule change next week that could help weed out poor charter operators.
Let’s hope they do the right thing.
Florida Education Budget: Better Not Best
It is always nice to put a positive spin on reports that there is more money for education. There is, in fact, more money for education this year than last year.
Education funding, however, has been on a roller coaster for the last several years. Where are we now? Take a ride and see.
Florida Judge’s Decision “No Harm No Foul” Appealed
When something is wrong, do you ignore it or fix it? The Florida Education Association, the PTA and the Florida League of Women Voters said vouchers by any name are wrong and filed suit. A Leon County circuit judge disallowed the suit for lack of standing. Basically, this means that the attorneys did not convince the judge that tax credit scholarships harmed public schools. Is this a no harm, no foul issue? The FEA attorneys say ‘NO’.
The judge did not rule on the merits of the case. Floridians have already voted overwhelmingly to disallow funding for private schools. Vouchers are not roses, and the smell of tax credit scholarships is not sweet. The FEA has appealed the case. What are the merits?
Local Charter School Implodes: Part III A Teaching Moment
It is hard to say what our local charter’s parents have learned from the upheaval at the school. It reminds me of stories about running any small business. So, I looked up some. I found a classic. Top Ten Reasons Small Businesses Fail was published in the New York Times a few years ago. It may have been written by a former charter school owner: money woes, poor management skills, personality driven operations that can lead to big problems. The author states: Rarely does the owner’s finger point to the owner.
Charters are supposed to have governing boards that supply expertise and perspective on operations. Too often, they do not. Instead boards are often cronies; friends of the owner. They preside instead of work at the task of evaluating operations. They rubber stamp. They may mean well, but they do not know what they do not know. What should they know? What should our legislators do? We have collected a list. It is time for the League to go to work.
A Local Charter Implodes: Part II: No one in Charge?
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?
A Local Charter Implodes: Part I, The Tip of the Iceberg
In the League of Women Voters, we study data, laws, rules and regulations. We base our positions on facts. Sometimes, the facts just do not make events seem real.
We decided to tell a story–it even has a sequel. The facts are there, but the story is about high expectations and false hopes. It is about how dreams go wrong. It is a true story.
Broward School Board Says No to Money
by Carol Clark Hentschel, Broward County
Maybe 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.
Florida Charter Schools: Did $67 Million Just Disappear?
This is another post about money and ethics. This time we consider laws that are made but not are not enforceable. Let’s start with a Florida Legislature’s 2007 Interim Report on Charter School Accountability. It reported that Florida law “does not regulate conflict of interest for charter schools board members or employees”…but if nonprofits want tax exempt status, then federal conflict of interest must be observed. The Florida Auditor General uncovered continuing problems and recommended that charter board members be included under Florida’s Code of Ethics as Public Officers.
What has been proposed to curb abuse? There have been specific recommendations even from the charter industry. See what they are and figure out why the money disappeared. (Is this a Common Core question requiring critical thinking and problem solving? Not really!)