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Issue Report: Charter schools

Are charter schools a good idea? In New Orleans?

Charter schools are elementary or secondary schools in the United States that receive public money but have been freed from some of the rules, regulations, and statutes that apply to other public schools in exchange for some type of accountability for producing certain results, which are set forth in each school’s charter. While charter schools provide an alternative to other public schools, they are part of the public education system and are not allowed to charge tuition. Where space at a charter school is limited, admission is frequently allocated by lottery based admissions. Some charter schools provide a curriculum that specializes in a certain field– e.g. arts, mathematics, etc. Others simply seek to provide a better and more efficient general education than nearby public schools. Some charter schools are founded by teachers, parents, or activists who feel restricted by traditional public schools. State-run charters (schools not affiliated with local school districts) are often established by non-profit groups, universities, and some government entities. Additionally, school districts sometimes permit corporations to open chains of for-profit charter schools. After Minnesota first enacted charter school laws in 1991, the charter school movement has grown substantially, with 40 states adopting charter laws by 2008 and over 3,400 charter schools opening to serve roughly one million American students. A major demonstration of this rising popularity is occurring in New Orleans where, following hurricane Katrina in 2005, the city has rebuilt its education system predominantly around charter schools. As the movement has growth in popularity, so has the debate. The main questions involved in the debate include: Do charter schools and students perform better? Do charter teachers work more freely and effectively? Is the more specific mission focus of charter schools valuable? Do charter schools compete with other traditional public schools? Is this good or bad? Do charter schools create a two-tiered and segregated system of education? Do charter schools give parents/students greater choice? Are charter school more cost-effective? Do the overall pros and cons favor charter schools for public policy?

Performance: Are charter schools and students performing better?

Charter schools are performing better than public schools

Scot Lehigh. "A strong case for more charter schools". Boston Globe. January 7, 2009

“Compared with students in traditional schools, charter school students are doing significantly better in math and English, according to the analysis by researchers from Harvard and MIT.”

"Orleans charters score better on LEAP than traditional schools". The Times Picayune. July 31, 2007

“In scores released this week, charter schools such as Wright posted higher scores at every grade level, with some showing vast improvement over their pre-Katrina, pre-charter performance under the Orleans Parish School Board.”

Adaptive charter schools can make necessary changes

Jonathan Bertsch, KIPP’s director of operations in New Orleans, said in a June 2008 Washington Post article: “The main difference is that most of the charters have the freedom to change, to get better, to hire the people they need to make the school better.” [1]

Charter schools perform no better than public schools

"Reining in Charter Schools". New York Times (Editorial). May 10, 2006

“several studies have shown that on the whole, charter schools perform no better than other public schools.”

Competition created by charter schools distracts from the classroom

"Reining in Charter Schools". New York Times (Editorial). May 10, 2006

“uncertainty has created budgeting havoc and simply forced the diversion of much of the attention of district leaders away from the classroom as a matter of financial survival. Every year, there were schools to close and costs to cut. Three years after the first charter school opened, Dayton had slipped to last in the state’s rating system — worse even than Cleveland, the traditional testing doormat in Ohio. Three years later, Dayton still is at the bottom.”

Charter schools proliferated too quickly to monitor

"Reining in Charter Schools". New York Times (Editorial). May 10, 2006

“some states have opened so many charter programs so quickly that they can barely count them, let alone monitor student performance.”

Teachers: Do charter schools promote better teachers and teaching?

Charter school administrators can hand-pick the best teachers

New Orleans’ Fischer Elementary School principal Dahme Bolden was quoted in an October 2006 NPR article saying: “The difference [between the former system and new charter schools] is I can hand-pick my teachers. As a result, I see more leadership from the teaching staff, [more] enthusiasm, I see more teaching and learning going on.”[2]

Competition b/w teachers in charter schools incentivizes performance

New Orleans KIPP Believe College Prep school teacher Scarlet Feinberg said in a October 2006 NPR article: “It’s great pressure, I mean it’s pressure that makes you work harder, that gives you a sense of urgency every day that they must learn these skills. If you don’t produce the results that need to be produced, it’s very possible that you could lose your job.”[3]

Charter schools promote teacher independence and character

Elly Jo Rael. "A Summary of Arguments For and Against Charter Schools"

“Charter schools promote teacher autonomy and empowerment. Due to decreased regulation teachers can maintain a greater sense of freedom to develop their own unique styles of pedagogy, and are able to adopt new methods without fear of administrative sanctions. Thus, the best teachers in the educational system will be attracted by higher levels of autonomy. Furthermore, by empowering teachers, charter schools will increase teacher motivation and innovation making the profession attractive.”

Charter school competition distracts from teaching

Reining in Charter Schools". New York Times (Editorial). May 10, 2006

“uncertainty has created budgeting havoc and simply forced the diversion of much of the attention of district leaders away from the classroom as a matter of financial survival. Every year, there were schools to close and costs to cut. Three years after the first charter school opened, Dayton had slipped to last in the state’s rating system — worse even than Cleveland, the traditional testing doormat in Ohio. Three years later, Dayton still is at the bottom.”

Charter schools spend more on administration

Deborah Bach. "School Board digs in against charter schools". Seattle PI. December 17, 2003

“The Seattle School Board intends to make a pre-emptive strike against charter school legislation that came close to passing last session, despite being turned down by voters twice in the past. […] At its Jan. 7 meeting, the board is expected to adopt a resolution opposing charter schools. […] The proposed resolution cites a study last year by the American Federation of Teachers that found that charter schools spend a greater percentage of their resources on administration, less on infrastructure and provide fewer services than the districts they reside in.”

Charter schools actively resist teacher unionization

Seth Sandronsky. "Rethinking Charter Schools". Weekend Edition. September 27, 2008

“Charter schools, begun two decades ago to spur innovation in learning and teaching, have been a force to push out labor unions. It is common for teachers at charter schools to be at-will employees, with no job protections.”

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