Charter school success ignored and stymied by U.S. Senators

[truthseeker]

There is growing evidence that charter schools are empowering parents, pioneering fresh teaching methods, encouraging state and local innovation and help students escape underperforming schools.

During a “Raising the Bar” hearing at the U.S. House Committee on Education and Workforce Chairman Rep. John Kline (R-MN) said

"For many children and their parents, charter schools are a beacon of hope for a better education—and a better life."

They are being held back by members of the U.S. Senate that refuses to enhance these opportunities.

Read more

http://www.examiner.com/article/charter-school-success-ignored-and-stymied-by-u-s-senators

 

[connieb]

There is growing evidence that charter schools are empowering parents, pioneering fresh teaching methods, encouraging state and local innovation and help students escape underperforming schools.

During a “Raising the Bar” hearing at the U.S. House Committee on Education and Workforce Chairman Rep. John Kline (R-MN) said

"For many children and their parents, charter schools are a beacon of hope for a better education—and a better life."

They are being held back by members of the U.S. Senate that refuses to enhance these opportunities.

Read more

http://www.examiner.com/article/charter-school-success-ignored-and-stymied-by-u-s-senators

I think charter schools are an excellent alternative to the traditional public school. The reason though the teacher's union won't get behind them, and thus why the senate is sitting on this... is that they know what they will be left with in their traditional schools is the bottom of the barel. And, they don't want the lack of progress they make with those students to be be used as a metric to judge their quality.

It will be interesting though as technology continues to eveolve what this will do in terms of doing away with even more traditional brick and mortar schools. I have a friend who began homeschooling her daugher after several severe bullying episodes and she is not any sort of teacher or particularly highly educated. But, they found basically an "online" school. The daughter actually participates in classes via webcasts, turns in homework to the teachers, etc. - its like school, but from their home. They are really pleased with the quality. I think still it could be abused if you don't have anyone there making sure she is doing what she is supposed to be doing so its not like it can't be supervised, but its an interesting alternative.

connie

 

[Bo-4]

Yeah, sorta kinda maybe...

Here are the facts: “The National Charter School Study” by Stanford University’s Center for Research on Educational Outcomes (CREDO) is the gold standard for comparing the performance of charter schools and public schools. CREDO released its original study four years ago and released an updated version yesterday. In both studies, neighborhood public schools win over charter schools hands down.

But charter schools are improving—from very bad to mediocre: In 2009, 37% of charter schools performed worse than the neighborhood public school and only 17% did better. Now 31% do worse than the neighborhood school while 29% do better. As the Times underscores, charter schools range in quality from state to state: doing better in New York, Michigan and Louisiana, and worse in Pennsylvania, Arizona and Texas, among other states.

http://progressivepopulist.blogspot.com/2013/06/charter-schools-continue-to.html

 

[Figjam]

There is growing evidence that charter schools are empowering parents, pioneering fresh teaching methods, encouraging state and local innovation and help students escape underperforming schools.

During a “Raising the Bar” hearing at the U.S. House Committee on Education and Workforce Chairman Rep. John Kline (R-MN) said

"For many children and their parents, charter schools are a beacon of hope for a better education—and a better life."

They are being held back by members of the U.S. Senate that refuses to enhance these opportunities.

Read more

http://www.examiner.com/article/charter-school-success-ignored-and-stymied-by-u-s-senators

...I suppose this depends upon where you live. In our community we have a "charter school" that is exclusionary, does not represent the community as a whole. While the scores are a measure higher, again, it is because they do not allow less privileged students into the program. How they accomplish this is through voluntary fees, that if one does not pay, their name is posted on a "wall of shame" - They also do not provide and are exempt from providing services for special needs children.

...in our community the charter school is a sham and a drain on resources to our public schools. They are apparently working on a school bond measure that will be up for a vote - this will be the first time I have EVER voted against a bond measure for a school.

 

[Barbella]

Look no further:

Regardless of one’s view of any particular method of improving America’s struggling public schools (whether school choice, charter schools, or rewarding better teachers with better pay), the tactics and rhetoric that teachers unions employ to block any meaningful reform is remarkable. Their motivation is simple: maintain the status quo — and the flow of hundreds of millions of dollars in dues. Meanwhile, union leaders’ suggestions for reform are best summarized as “more money to hire more teachers,” who are then likely to become dues-paying union members.


Former top officers at the National Education Association’s Kansas and Nebraska state chapters summarized their union’s stance on reform in a 1994 issue of Educational Freedom: “The NEA has been the single biggest obstacle to education reform in this country. We know because we worked for the NEA.”

http://teachersunionexposed.com/blocking.php