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Schools of Choice: No One is Stuck

May 7, 2015 By

Often we hear about children being “stuck” in poorly performing, unsafe, traditional public schools. Last week, The Center for Education Reform (CER) staff got a taste of something different during two charter school visits. “Stuck” is never a word that you would use to describe a student in a charter school. In fact, charter school parents and students are willingly, excitedly, and proudly engaged and active in the school community, and are there because they choose to be, not because they were arbitrarily assigned based on their zip code.

BerkeleyBreanCharterVisitCER toured two schools in the nation’s capital last week – Richard Wright Public Charter School for Journalism and Media Arts, and Achievement Prep Public Charter School. Both schools are located across the Anacostia River in Southeast D.C., a section of the city with high levels of poverty. But these schools are making a difference; they are changing their community and are engines of opportunity. The parents know it and the kids know it, and one reporter even came all the way from Rochester, New York to see what his city can learn from these schools in D.C. “across the river”.

Parents at both schools spoke about the value of having a choice in where their children go to school. One Achievement Prep parent, Deborah, said, “We didn’t have to go uptown to get the education that our son is getting. We would not have gone to a district school if not for Achievement Prep. If not for Achievement Prep, we would have to make ends meet to pay for a private school. We have had a rich experience because our son has gone to charter schools.”

Another Achievement Prep mom lovingly told CER staff that her third-grade daughter already has goals of attending Cornell University. “I’m proud that she is only nine and her mind has gone beyond high school,” she said. Not only is Achievement Prep important to her family, but the act of choosing the right school for her children is key: “There is nothing exceptional or exciting about [our] traditional public schools…Choice is everything.”KaraAtRichardWright

At Richard Wright Public Charter School for Journalism and Media Arts, parents echoed the same sentiments. Families are empowered with choices that transform and improve student learning in the most disadvantaged communities in Washington, D.C. These students’ zip codes do not define their destinies. They are not “stuck”. Their parents choose the school that is right for them, and that makes all the difference.

Filed Under: Commentary, Edspresso Tagged With: ,

Rising to the Challenge

May 6, 2015 By

Founded in 1999, Rise Academy in Lubbock, Texas has achieved a high level of success. For six years in a row, the school has been an “Exemplary School” in the eyes of the Texas Education Agency.

But this success hasn’t been obstacle-free.

The school “does more with less” to provide traditionally underserved populations of pre-K through 8th grade students a superior education. According to a 2014 University of Arkansas study, traditional district schools in Texas would have received $1 billion less in funding if they were funded at the same level as their public charter school peers.

Rise Academy Photo NCSW2015Unfortunately, funding equity for these alternative public schools is not just a problem in Texas, but nationwide. On average, charter schools receive 36% less in revenue per student than traditional public schools according to the Survey of America’s Charter Schools. And, to add insult to injury, unlike other public schools, most do not receive facility funds.

However, Rise Academy and charter schools across the nation are providing parents innovative and transformative options despite the numerous challenges they face. But as waitlists for charter schools continue to grow, so must charter schools to meet demand. Equitable funding and autonomy for schools would allow schools of choice to increase and accelerate the pace of reform efforts across the country.

 

Filed Under: Commentary, Edspresso Tagged With: ,

Newswire: May 5, 2015

May 5, 2015 By

Vol. 17, No. 18

Lots to celebrate this week with National Charter Schools Week and Teacher Appreciation Week! THANK YOU to schools and educators working hard for our kids!

#THANKATEACHER. It is no secret teachers are the “gold stars” in a child’s education. Every single one of us can think back to a teacher that’s had a positive impact on our lives. The Association of American Educators (AAE) wants to recognize life-changing teachers and share your stories. Click here to submit your story to AAE, and be sure to check out The Foundation for Excellence in Education (FEE) for more great ideas on ways to recognize and thank teachers this week!

#CHARTERSCHOOLSWEEK. We’re also celebrating another important component of American education this week – public charter schools. In addition to creating a pledge in support of charter schools to share on social media this week, we’ll be shining a spotlight on positive outcomes our nation’s charter schools are achieving for our children, highlighting a different charter school story daily. From charter schools like Granada Hills (which started out as a traditional public school and was converted to a charter) that have network news affiliates dubbing them an “academic dynasty,” to charter schools like Challenge that are paving the way to ensure our children can engage in our democratic society, each school improves outcomes for students in their own unique way. A 4th grader at Challenge Charter School sums up the hallmark of charter schools best when talking about his school’s civic engagement award, saying it’s “freedom that allows us to have the kind of school we have today.”

BIGGER ROLE. While it’s true there are nearly 3 million students in nearly 7,000 charter schools across 43 states and the District of Columbia, charter schools could and should be playing a much larger role in U.S. education. With the average charter school waitlist growing to almost 300 students, demand continues to blow supply out of the water. Unfortunately, lack of progress to improve policy environments so charter schools can thrive can be blamed on lack of political will leading up to elections. It’s no surprise that two-thirds of Americans – or 69 percent – rate their state lawmakers’ track record on education “fair” or “poor.” The biggest culprit however, is a lack of information, or perhaps a growing body of misinformation, as to what constitutes strong, responsible charter school policy. Which is why…

SURVEY SAYS. …CER is encouraging all charter schools to tell their story via survey. These survey results are analyzed and published as CER’s Survey of America’s Charter Schools, a vital publication that since 1996 has helped fight misinformation about charter schools. Not only do media rely on this survey for information on the charter school environment in the U.S., but survey results help inform of schools’ day-to-day operational struggles and triumphs in order to shed light on policy changes needed in state houses across the country to ensure a robust charter sector. Click here to take the survey, or contact CER at 800-521-2118 or survey@edreform.com if you would prefer a hard copy.

PARENTS DENIED. While this week celebrates schools and teachers that give our kids the best opportunities possible, there are still places in our nation where charter schools don’t have the chance to be a viable option for kids. Take Spartansburg, PA, for example. Upon hearing the local elementary school was closing, parents took matters into their own hands and submitted a charter school application so that their kids would still have a local option. Sadly, the district has twice denied the application, citing the typical concern that the school is not innovative or different enough from what the district already provides. The beauty of charter schools, aside from their autonomy, is the fact that parents have a choice. Charter schools mean parents can choose the best education for their child, regardless of their zip code. Our system and the adults in it shouldn’t stand in the way of allowing parents and kids these opportunities. Sign the charter schools pledge if you agree!

TWEET UP. Tomorrow, Wednesday, May 6 from 1:00-2:00pm EST, don’t miss the #CharterSchoolWeek tweet up! Tweet your own message or fact about charter schools, or click here for a prepared tweet to join the conversation and get charter schools trending on social media. Not on social media or busy tomorrow? Check out this toolkit from The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools for other ways to get involved.

Filed Under: Newswire Weekly, Newswire

Engaging the Next Generation of Leaders

May 5, 2015 By

This is blog #2 in a weeklong series of blogs featuring charter schools during Charter Schools Week 2015. Sign the pledge to show your support for public charter schools!

Sometimes adults are scared that the next generation won’t have the knowledge to lead our country through the various issues that it faces.

Parents of Challenge Charter School students don’t have to worry about that.

The Arizona Department of Education has recognized Challenge Charter School in Glendale as a School of Excellence in Civic Engagement.

The state’s first official Core Knowledge School has put the pedal to the metal when it comes to preparing students for participation in society by integrating civic education across different disciplines and grade levels. Kindergartners learned about Abraham Lincoln on Presidents’ Day, 4th graders made flags and learned about the American Revolution, and some students even worked together to raise money for tsunami relief.

Challenge Charter lincolnChallenge Charter red cross

On Constitution Day (September 17), 6th graders prepared and gave speeches about what civic engagement and the School of Excellence award means to them. In true democratic fashion, the student body voted to decide which student would attend the Department of Education’s award ceremony to represent Challenge Charter School.

“This award means so much to me and my school,” says one student. “Our mascot is the eagle, which is not only our mascot but our nation’s symbol. The eagle symbolizes power, strength, and freedom. That freedom allows us to have the kind of school that we have today.”

And it is exactly those freedoms that we celebrate during Charter Schools Week, and must continue to ensure are protected so that charter schools are able to continue to thrive as the autonomous, innovative public options they were intended to be from their inception.

Challenge Charter eagle kid

Filed Under: Commentary Tagged With: ,

National Charter Schools Week 2015

May 4, 2015 By

National Charter Schools Week is May 3-9!

To celebrate National Charter Schools Week 2015, The Center for Education Reform is shining a spotlight on positive outcomes our nation’s charter schools are achieving for our children.

Each day we’ll be posting a blog highlighting a charter school – check back here daily for a new story from another school!:
Blog #1: An “Academic Dynasty”
Blog #2: Engaging the Next Generation of Leaders
Blog #3: Rising to the Challenge
Blog #4: Schools of Choice: No One is Stuck
Blog #5: Are We Doing Enough to Affect Change in Education?

GET INVOLVED

For the movement to grow and meet the demand of parents in need of education alternatives, it’s essential to showcase the hard work charter school leaders and educators are doing day in and day out. Help celebrate #CharterSchoolsWeek by signing and sharing the pledge to support public charter schools!

twitterClick here to share the Charter Schools Week Pledge on Twitter now!

facebookClick here to share the Charter Schools Week Pledge on Facebook now!

 

FACTS & INFORMATION

Fast Facts on Charter Schools Today (for more information on Charter Schools, visit the Charter School Facts & FAQs page)

  • Demand for charter schools remains strong, with over 1 million students on charter school wait lists around the nation.
  • Independent charter authorizers play an essential role in the health of the charter school movement. An authorizer other than a local school board has granted over 60 percent of charters across the country.
  • Charters serve a more disadvantaged student population compared to traditional public schools, including more low-income and minority students. Sixty-one percent of charter schools serve a student population where over 60 percent qualify for the federal Free or Reduced Lunch Program due to their family’s low income.
  • Charter schools receive 36 percent less revenue per student on average than traditional public schools, and, unlike other public schools, most do not receive facilities funds.

 

Charter School Research & Data

Filed Under: Choice & Charter Schools Tagged With: ,

Charter schools must play bigger role in U.S. education

May 4, 2015 By

by Kara Kerwin
Macon Telegraph
May 4, 2015

Today in the U.S. there are approximately 3 million students being served by nearly 7,000 charter schools across 43 states and the District of Columbia. We’ve come a long way since the first charter school opened its doors in Minnesota back in 1991, but I ask myself as we celebrate National Charter Schools Week, have we come far enough?

Across the country students are stuck on charter school wait lists — with most schools reporting wait lists of nearly 300 students each — and demand continues to outstrip supply, suggesting that charter schools could grow significantly faster to serve more students if the policy environments were more supportive.

For 19 years, The Center for Education Reform has evaluated state charter school laws to address these fundamental issues with a thorough review of what the words of laws actually mean in practice, not just on paper. Interpretation and implementation vary depending on how the regulations are written, and frankly, who’s in charge.

Charter school growth does continue at a steady, nearly linear pace nationally, especially in states with charter laws graded “A” or “B,” but an even more accelerated pace would allow charter schools to play a more central role in addressing the demands and needs of our nation’s students. Even the top five charter school laws in the nation — The District of Columbia, Minnesota, Indiana, Michigan and Arizona — while earning “As,” are still 10 or more points away from a perfect score.

Public charter schools are an essential piece of the puzzle when it comes to giving parents power over their children’s education and the freedom to choose the best environment for their children’s unique individual learning needs. Parents deserve access to a portfolio of excellent education options — from public charter schools, to traditional public schools, brick and mortar, completely online, blended, home-school, or some other learning innovation we have yet to think of — regardless of their zip code.

The lack of progress made in state houses across the country over the past few years to truly improve the policy environment for charter schools can be chalked up to a lack of political will leading up to a major mid-term election. It also explains why two-thirds (69 percent) of Americans rated their state lawmakers track record on education “fair” or “poor” on the Center for Education Reform’s recent poll.

The biggest culprit however, is a lack of information, or perhaps a growing body of misinformation, as to what constitutes strong, responsible charter school policy. Pressure from opponents and proponents alike to increase regulation, biased media reporting and inconsistent data have become a distraction.

Regardless of one’s position on charter schools or the principles of parent choice and performance-based accountability, those engaged in the lawmaking process must understand the impact of their interpretation of charter school policy. They must also take responsibility for whether the implementation yields the intended result, which is to ensure the creation of excellent and numerous learning opportunities for children.

At The Center for Education Reform we take responsibility for holding ourselves and the charter school movement to high standards in pursuit of great policies that meet four proven criteria for improving student outcomes:

• Provide families new and meaningful choices

• Hold them accountable for results

• Ensure autonomy for educators to innovate

• Guarantee fiscal equity for both students and schools.

We stand ready to help advocates and policy makers bring about meaningful change in their communities.

Kara Kerwin is president of The Center for Education Reform.

Filed Under: Opinions Tagged With: , ,

An Academic Dynasty

May 4, 2015 By

This is blog #1 in a weeklong series of blogs featuring charter schools during Charter Schools Week 2015. Sign the pledge to show your support for public charter schools!

When people hear the word “decathlon,” images of the Olympics and athletic prowess irunningn track and field come to mind.

For the parents, students, and teachers at Granada Hills Charter School, intellectual expertise and academic success are instead what shine through

In 2011, 2012, and 2013, Granada Hills Charter High School won the national title at the National Academic Decathlon Championships. The school persevered and repeated the win this year – prompting CBS News to call it an “academic dynasty”.

GranadaHills awardOn paper, some might be surprised that the school has reached such great heights. The school serves thousands of students that participate in the free and reduced lunch program, serves other traditionally underserved student populations, and is located in the challenging Los Angeles area.

But the school has always been a leader, and a pioneer in the education reform movement. When it was founded 12 years ago, teachers put in hard work to convert the 4,500 student traditional Los Angeles public school into a charter school. Today, Granada Hills is multicultural, multifaceted, and multitalented. How does it do it all?

Board member and co-founder Sonja Eddings Brown says the success of the school is supported by its diversity, by ensuring money stays closest to the kids, and by treating educators like true professionals.

Everyone is looking for a good school, and wants to know how to build one, says Brown. She says that children everywhere would have a greater chance to be academic superstars if more schools had the autonomy and freedom that Granada Hills enjoys as a public charter school.

Filed Under: Commentary, Edspresso Tagged With: ,

Charter school bill excludes online education

May 1, 2015 By

By Rebecca Lessner
For MarylandReporter.com
April 30, 2015

An amended charter school bill will slam the door on Maryland’s chance to follow the 29 other states across America in embarking onto the newly charted plains of cyber-schooling, according to charter school advocates.

Republican Gov. Larry Hogan made charter schools a priority last session with his Public Charter School Improvement Act of 2015, which would have made it easier for charter schools to start in Maryland. But the General Assembly made major changes to the bill before passage, including a new, little-known prohibition on 100% online charter schools. It now awaits the governor’s signature.

Lieutenant Governor Boyd Rutherford said “happy is too cheery a word,” to describe his feelings towards the bill as passed, but did not say if the governor would consider a veto.

“We are a little disappointed. We haven’t made a final decision of whether we will go forward with it,” said Rutherford at Hogan’s 100 Days press event.

“If we sign it, going forward, we will be back next year with another charter school bill. I am quite sure of that,” he said.

Online public charter schools open up a middle-ground between public, private and homeschooling. But there are concerns about the quality of education and track record in other states for the evolving programs.

Kara Kerwin, president of the Center for Education Reform, said current charter school law does not specify if learning should take place online or in the classroom.

“It’s a really important option, brick and mortar, one size fits all, doesn’t work for all children,” said. “Maryland eliminating the potential for that innovation to flourish here would really be a step backwards.”

Cyber Schools

Virtual charter schooling is a relatively new concept, but it is a contributing factor in why neighboring states surpass Maryland in a charter school education report card compiled by the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools.

Maryland ranks last out of the 42 states and the District of Columbia who have enacted public charter school laws. Pennsylvania holds 16 public cyber charter schools and ranks 25th; and the District of Columbia holding one public-virtual charter school ranks 9th.

However, these jurisdictions have charter laws dating back to the late 1990s. Maryland’s charter-school law was only enacted in 2003.

Online learning differs across jurisdictions.

In Pennsylvania for example, 21st Century Cyber Charter School (21CCCs) leases Macbook computers, printers, scanner and textbooks for $1 per year, and boasts “the best academic track record of any cyber charter school in the state, including average 2014 SAT scores in the top 10% of all Pennsylvania public schools.”

Problems in Pennsylvania?

However, the Maryland State Education Association (MSEA) that represents public school educators, believes Pennsylvania is a glaring example of why cyber charter schools are failing and is thrilled with the General Assembly’s position, said Sean Johnson, assistant executive director of MSEA’s Center for Public Affairs.

“They cover a very small, I think half of 1%, of public school students in the state of Pennsylvania, but those schools make up about 33% of the lowest performing schools in the state,” said Johnson, referring to an Op-Ed piece in Pennlive.

The study was based on data collected by 11 of the state’s cyber charter schools, which enroll roughly half of the cyber charter school population in Pennsylvania.

Johnson believes the data shows a quality of education that is “quite suspect.”

“I’m glad Maryland has taken this step to not go down this experiment with cyber charters,” said Johnson.

Cyber schools work best for independent learners

Jonathan Cetel, executive director of Pennsylvania Can, finds the track record of virtual charter schools in Pennsylvania to be “mixed,” working for independent learners but not necessarily for students who need more direction.

The 16 different cyber schools, reaching 30,000 students spread out across Pennsylvania, are ideal for homeschoolers looking for a more robust curriculum, for students who travel frequently, or for students who wish to leave schools after being bullied.

“It’s not so much the parents are being drawn to cyber schools, but they’re being pushed by the inability of traditional public schools to meet their needs,” said Cetel.

Maryland’s current online learning model

However, Betty Weller, president of MSEA, believes public schools could be just as innovative as charter schools if given the opportunity.

“They (charter schools) are touted as being beds of innovation and things like that, but I think that if you give any public school the kinds of resources that some charter schools might have, they could be beds of innovation too,” said Weller.

Maryland piloted its first online classes in 2003 through the Maryland Virtual School (MVS), which is directed by MSDE. These classes are used in “blended” schools, where students take some classes online and some in the physical-classroom and reach more than 4,000 students in seven school systems.

Courses teaching more than 80% of a class online must be approved by MSDE. Courses delivering less than 80% online do not need such approval.

Future of the bill

Jason Botel, executive director of Maryland Can, an advocacy group for education reform, said the amended bill still holds some improvements to Maryland’s charter law, which will affect the 47 charter schools across Maryland, with an estimated 18,000 students in attendance.

The governor should sign the bill, he said, because it is a first step that still accomplishes more flexibility in teacher certification, more transparency in local school funding and prioritized enrollment for disadvantaged children.

However Kerwin disagrees, feeling that if this bill passes charter schools will lose their seat at the legislative table.

“I honestly don’t think this issue in particular will have another chance if we allow this to pass now,” said Kerwin. “They’ll say ‘oh we tackled that, we did charters, we’re done.’”

Filed Under: CER in the News Tagged With: , ,

Education Advocates React to Newly Released NAEP Scores

April 30, 2015 By

by Heather Kays
The Heartland Institute
April 29, 2015

The latest 8th grade U.S. history, civics, and geography results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), released Wednesday, April 29, showed no significant change from the last assessment in 2010.

For 2014, the NAEP scores show only 18 percent of students scored proficient in U.S. history, 23 percent in civics, and 27 percent in geography.

Neal McCluskey, associate director of the Cato Institute’s Center for Educational Freedom describes the NAEP scores released today as “bleak.”

“The scores weren’t particularly surprising,” said McCluskey. “We’ve known for quite some time that American students have pretty poor historical, geographical, and civic knowledge, and nothing has happened since 2010 that should have radically changed that. Indeed, the focus on mathematics and reading, to the possible detriment of history and civics, may have been amplified a bit with the move to Common Core standards, though since the advent of NCLB math and reading have been essentially the first and last words in school ‘success.’”

School Choice as a Solution

Kara Kerwin, president of the Center for Education Reform says parents need additional educational options for their children if scores such as these are ever to improve.

“It’s appalling that not even 30 percent of our nation’s 8th graders are proficient in subjects like civics and history that are so fundamental to our nation’s founding and democracy,” said Kerwin. “If we don’t act now and take bold steps to empower parents and accelerate the pace at which they have access to opportunities that dramatically change their children’s learning outcomes, we will not be able to move our nation forward.”

Underachievement in the Middle Class

Koret Senior Fellow and Senior Director of Education Studies at the Pacific Research Institute Lance Izumi, says the unimpressive NAEP scores are an indication many parents believe their children are attending better schools than they are in reality.

“One of the key points to understand is that the low scores on the history, geography and civics NAEP exams are not due only to the performance of low-income students,” said Izumi. “Non-low-income students, many of whom are from middle-class and more affluent backgrounds, underperformed on each of the NAEP exams. In fact, as a group, non-low-income students scored well below the proficient benchmark on the history, geography and civics NAEP. The underachievement of these middle-class students indicates that many schools in affluent areas are not as good as parents think they are, and that middle-class parents need to push for reforms like school choice that will help them and their children.”

Expanding Choice

Susan Meyers, a spokeswoman for the Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice, agrees with Izumi. Meyers says school choice will be necessary in order to see positive gains in measurements such as NAEP scores.

“Students can’t function in today’s world with such inadequate skills,” said Meyers. “Until we have significant school choice in every community and schools feel the pressure to compete for students, they will continue with the same, tired and failed policies that are not educating our children. This is why parents want and deserve the freedom to choose a school that works for their child. They don’t have time to wait.”

Unsurprising and Disappointing

Matt Frendeway, national communications director for the American Federation for Children, says the NAEP scores are not at all surprising.

“National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) scores were released today, and like every year, serve as a national reminder that our nation’s public education system is largely failing our students,” said Frendeway. “The best way to challenge the status quo and help students is by offering parents access to choice and redefining public education by funding students, especially low-income students, and allowing parents to choose the best school for their son or daughter.”

Executive Director Roger L. Beckett of Ashbrook Center, an independent center at Ashland University, says students are missing important lessons regarding the American government and Constitution.

“The recent NAEP scores in history and civics further demonstrate America’s crisis in history and civics education,” said Beckett. “The test scores remain abyssmal. America is an experiment in constitutional self-government. If we are not preparing future generations with an understanding of our past as well as an understanding of how American government works, we risk seeing this great experiment fail. Today’s tests show yet again how badly we need a revival of history and civics education in our schools.”

McCluskey of the Cato Institute says he is not convinced the disappointing NAEP scores will change anything.

“These scores are neither surprising, nor will they likely have much lasting impact on the public consciousness,” said McCluskey. “History, civics and geography just don’t seem to matter that much in the current, top-down education system.”

Heather Kays (hkays@heartland.org) is a research fellow with The Heartland Institute and is managing editor of School Reform News.

Filed Under: CER in the News Tagged With: , ,

Nation’s Report Card Indicates Less Than 30 Percent of U.S. Students Proficient In History, Geography, Civics

April 29, 2015 By

CER Press Release
Washington, D.C.
April 29, 2015

The Center for Education Reform (CER) released the following statement on the 2014 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), also known as the Nation’s Report Card, History, Geography, and Civics scores released today:

“It’s astounding that not even one third of our nation’s eighth graders are proficient in subjects that are vital to our nation’s founding and democracy,” said CER President Kara Kerwin. “In U.S. history, just 18 percent of students are at or above proficient, with 27 percent at or above proficient in geography and 23 percent at or above proficient in civics.”

“Since student achievement in these subjects was last measured in 2010, scores have remained stagnant. It’s unacceptable that in four years we’ve made no progress in dramatically changing what learning and successful outcomes look like for our children.”

“Until we take bold steps to empower parents and accelerate the pace at which they have access to opportunities that allow their children to thrive, we will not be able to move our nation forward.”

Filed Under: Press Releases
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