Category Archives: Washington D.C.

House Appropriations Slashes Charter Start Up Funds

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In response to a report by the Network for Public Education, the federal startup funds were cut $40 million this year and another $100 million next year. The committee noted the lack of oversight of federal startup funding.

There is other good news in the proposed budget for full service community schools, look lars remodeling. This is a direct rebuke to the DeVos Department of Education budget proposal. The committee also noted the abuse of for-profit online schools.

Good things can happen! The budget section begins on page 182.

Popping the Balloon: D.C. Reform Fiasco

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There is a lot of hot air about the impact of school choice on student achievement. Washington D.C. is often the example touted by unwitting journalists. John Merrow, retired PBS education reports on the ten year reign of Michelle Rhee and Kaya Henderson. The achievement gap has widened under their ‘test and punish’ administration. Merrow states: “The education establishment wants everyone to believe that D.C. is a success story. It is not. To the contrary, it is a story of wide spread failure and untold damage to human potential.”

NAEP eighth grade reading scores improved by one point, 232 to 233. Non low-income student scores climbed 31 points from 250 to 281. Similar small gains were observed for fourth grade low income students. The achievement gap widened from 26 to 62 percentage points.

A National Research Council report in 2015 said that most of the achievement gain in D.C. was most likely due to the influx of white affluent families moving into D.C. and sending their children to public schools.

How do D.C.’s charter schools fare in this report? They include 40% of the city’s schools. D.C. schools are intensely segregated by race and class in both the district and charter run schools. In 2012, over two-thirds of charters were classified as ‘apartheid’ schools (less than 1% white). Voucher schools heightened the segregation.

So what are the recommended solutions? Orfield, one of the authors of the NRC report indicated that magnet schools learned something charters had not. You need recruitment across racial and ethnic lines, free transportation, strongly appealing and distinctive curriculum, admission to all groups of students, integrated faculties etc.

Federal housing policies have exacerbated residential segregation. Neighborhoods that are already diverse or all white support their local schools. Offering choice to everyone else has created a propaganda campaign but no significant improvement in schools. The challenge is to create a sense of opportunity for all students. To do this, housing patterns must become more diverse. Economic opportunity must be real for all racial/ethnic and income groups. Schools must symbolize this opportunity.

Charter Advocates Attack Trump Education Budget

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According to Ed Source, even with big increases for charter schools, leaders of the National Alliance for Charter Schools and major charter chains strongly opposed President Trumps’ education budget. The $168 million increase raises the federal charter support to about one-half billion dollars. Most of this money goes, however, to support new charter start ups.

The problem is that once started, most charters have to survive on existing funding. The proposed budget for all schools would increase Title I funding for low income student support, but it decreases federal education funding by over nine billion dollars. Starting charters that can’t be supported makes no sense.

To compound the problem, U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos attacked charter schools at a National Alliance for Charter Schools conference. She was quoted as saying charters were ‘playing it safe’ and had become bureaucratic. They had lost some of the creativity and innovative spirit of its founders. She went on to say charters were blocking our choice alternatives to fund private schools. Ms. DeVos’ priorities are clear.

All of this goes to show that the pot of money to support our schools is limited. Some politicians argue that it should get smaller yet. As less money is divided among public, charter, and private schools, the greater the dissension. This is not a winning strategy for children.

Trump’s proposed cuts to education funding create friction in charter school community

Trump Budget: Deep Cuts in Public Education

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We knew this was coming, and next week it will be here.  According to the Washington Post, the education budget for public schools will be cut by $10.6 billion dollars.  The cuts include:

  • Work study cut in half; student loan programs revised
  • End of public service loan forgiveness
  • Mental health, advanced course work and other services cut
  • After school programs gone
  • Teacher training and class size reduction gone
  • Childcare for low income college students gone
  • Arts education gone
  • Gifted students gone
  • Career and technical education cut
  • and on and on

A significant change in Title I funding will impact low income public schools.  The new Title I program would allow $1 billion to go to choice schools.  Thus, low income public schools would receive even less support than they now have.   Money saved goes into charter schools and vouchers for private, religious schools.  Some funds go to increased choice for public schools.  Is this a recipe for quality schools or a disaster?

As Senator Lamar Alexander’s spokesperson said, ‘The Congress passes budgets”.  We elect congressmen and women.  Let them know what you think.

 

HOLD THE DATE: March for Public Education July 22

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A national march/rally for public education is being organized in Washington D.C. on July 22th.  Sister marches will be held across the country.  We will organize one in Alachua County.  I hope each of you will reach out to do something in your area.

The organizers are teachers, counselors, and others supporting public education.  This is just getting organized.  See the plans below:

 

Information on the July 22nd DC March for Public Education from the Facebook event.  This is not a Women’s March-approved event…yet.

CALL TO ACTION – 4/27/17 – 5/4/17 MARCH FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION SHARE INITIATIVE

We were there for the Women’s March, we marched for Science, NOW it is time to March for Public Education. Right now we have THREE months from our date for the July march. We wanted to let you know that we have contacted the National Parks Service regarding our march and have completed the permit for a march on the National Mall in Washington D.C.

One important detail that remains, however, is WHO will attend. That is a detail that we cannot complete without YOU. I truly believe the next national march should be about public education, and now is the time to begin to make that happen. We need to share this GROUP and EVENT with as many people as possible right now. We are the only group, as far as we know, planning to bring a national march for public education this year.

So, for this SHARE INITIATIVE we have THREE big asks:


1) SHARE & SIGN UP FOR THE EVENT
We have selected the date! Please share this event and sign up if you can make it! Here is the link:
2) ORGANIZE
WE NEED YOUR HELP! While the leadership team has worked hard to establish connections with allies, create content such as videos and inform on legislation, we are ready to branch out and expand our team. If you are interested in joining our team to expand our social media presence or host a satellite march, we need to hear from you this week.
3) ADD NEW MEMBERS

Choosing schools: What D.C. parents value

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In a survey of parent choice, parents would be willing to transport their children to schools farther away if 50% (rather than 40%) of the students in a school were similar to their own. While schools close to home are ranked first, other factors enter into decisions according to a Mathematica review.  Districts respond but solutions are elusive.  The tale of Minneapolis is one such example.

 

 

 

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Suspension Happy Charter Schools

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childrenCharter schools represent 7% of New York City’s school population  but 42% of all student suspensions.  Of the top 50 schools with high suspension rates, 48 were charters.  These schools are clustered in the heart of black communities in Harlem, Crown Heights, Brownsville and Brooklyn.  The problem extends far beyond New York.  Parents are pushing back.

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Proving the Point: Two are not better than one

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face-25508_1280The Washington Post, posted a letter that tells it like it is in Washington D.C.  I could feel the heart break.  I will tell you about the data, but this is not about numbers.  You can read the real story below.
In 1965, there were 147,000 students in D.C. There were 46 schools with an average of 750 students per school.  in 2014, the school population dropped to 85,000 in 213 schools with 329 students per school.  You know what happened.  Suburbs happened.
Choice in D.C. is not a cost effective system.  Yet, it is the poster child for charter schools that work with poor and minority students.  The test score gains are touted even if the scores themselves are still low.  The description provided by a D.C. mother and published writer about culture indicates that there is a human cost that is neglected in the story about school reform in D.C.

Florida Gets an ‘F’ Again

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FAILED1Which states get it right?  Not Florida.  It was one of eight states that received an overall grade of ‘F’ when its grades were averaged across the categories studied.   The Network for Public Education rated states based on six criteria.

For each category, I combined the percentages of A, B and C grades received across states.  I was surprised at the results.  Relatively few states (11) use test scores to punish students and teachers, but Florida is one of those that do.  You can see the combined percentages (think of them as passing scores) at the end of each of the criteria.

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U.S. DOE: Testing Action Plan

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hat-157980_1280The Fact Sheet on federal plans to reform the over emphasis on testing was released yesterday.  The approach to school and teacher accountability has shifted from a strong emphasis on annual state assessments to one that uses multiple measures in ‘innovative’ ways.  The principles for testing are those one would expect:  tests should be worth taking, high quality, time limited, fair, transparent, one of multiple measures, and tied to improvement of learning.

Reading closely, it is apparent that annual testing remains for reading, writing, science and math.  The use of test scores to evaluate the achievement of students in diverse groups and to determine which schools need additional support remains.  There are, however, cracks in the system.

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