Comments

1

These failings listed above are very minor. They don't respond to public information requests fast enough? That's nothing a parent or student really worries about. I didn't see a note that the charter schools are manipulating enrollment for more of the desired kids and less high-needs kids (see below, they might actually prefer students with certain types of disability), or secretly proselytizing to them.

The Real Menace (tm) are these Charter school "networks" (you've probably heard of KIPP schools, they're one of the better networks [I think]; I have a low opinion of BASIS) - they operate on a model of state and federal Charter funding while establishing themselves, then go private after a few years. Essentially, they're using the charter system to subsidize their early losses, but then go private once they're in the black. I don't have a fair and ethical recommendation to prevent this, other than to say, end the charter system.

Part of this, however, is on our public school administrators and higher level policy makers. Charter schools are a response to an actual problem that public schools have essentially decided they're unable to address, when that's nonsense: Public Schools have exactly as much freedom as state and federal DOEs give them. They're a bit like Taxi companies: Nothing was stopping them from deploying a ride-hail app or doing any of that type of work other than their own internal limitations on what a taxi "was". Instead, they dug in against the solution to the problem (uncertain rates, unreliable pick-ups) and lost to Uber and Lyft.

Devos, well... I don't think we've ever had anyone at the upper ranks of the education policy in America has the leadership and vision to kick-start that type of radical change in the conception of american schooling.

2

The primary determining factor for a child’s success in school is that child’s home life. Children whose parents are actively engaged in their educations do better in school than children whose parents do not take such an interest.

Charter schools are formed by and with the support of engaged parents, and so we should expect students in those schools to perform better than the local general population of children.

There’s no magic to charter schools, any more than there is any inherent magic to private schools; in all cases, it’s the parents who make the difference.

3

You could have at least included a link to the report.

4

@3 - That’s how fake news works.

5

If you want to see the report it is here
http://www.sao.wa.gov/state/Documents/PA_Charter_Schools_Accountability_Opportunities_ar1022692.pdf?fbclid=IwAR2TMwHGV7RaiEQG8kLhgEME9zluZRv7Y_B8brc9gRE1TfHIXcur3lPD2QA

6

In the other Washington, Washington D.C., taxpayers spend $32,000 per student on the traditional public schools (which have something like a 50% drop out and delayed graduation rate). But the city budgets something in the low $20,000s for charter schools, and less than $20,000 for the kids using vouchers. Why this is not a civil rights lawsuit yet I don't know (but then DC voters also passed a term limits initiative in 1996 and the city council just "nullified" it with no legal consequences).

I wonder if Washington State also treats charter school students separate and unequally in funding.


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