Charter Schools Might Not Be Better

Reader Comments
Back to blog

I'm always interested in innovation in education, and charter schools have been sold conceptually on their promise for good changes, good outcomes, alternative possibilities. When we see that any charter school is doing well or poorly, we all learn. Then we're able to act accordingly as further steps are planned.
All of that is fine. However, the real problems in education continue--teaching loads, class sizes, parental involvement and influence, excessive administrative layering, and the reimbursement of teachers. Correct each of these and, presto, we're talking success instead of problems.
I'm personally not averse to just pouring money into teacher salaries and letting teachers handle their schools top to bottom. The catch, and my demand, is educational success in return. We give you the money, teachers, you build the enterprise; in return, you give us guaranteed educational outcomes.
Pipe dream? Yes, but for one reason alone: where's all the money to come from? Answer: those who encourage birth rates that are unsustainable financially. Let them chip in with real gusto since they're contributors to the problem. Further answer: putting our money where our mouths are. We claim we want better--educational excellence is the phrase--so let's raise taxes as much as necessary.
Charter schools, in other words, are not enough. They're reinvention of the wheel and calling attention to the fancy new hubcaps. Pouring money on the problem the way I've suggested is a brand new, never tried before approach to the problems in education. Pay big, expect big.
Pipe dream? The ball's in your court.

Ron W. Smith of UT 3:37PM June 18, 2009

When these reports come out I doubt people take into consideration the goal of different charter schools and what they teach. It is true some charter schools do not offer classes or rigor to students that traditional public schools might. Some charter schools I've seen only offer up to pre-calculus for math, no AP classes, maybe a foreign language and if so only for two years. Some charter schools also act as alternative schools that enroll kids that had behavioral problems in traditional public schools and are far behind grade level so of course those schools will not have soaring test scores. We cannot equate these charters to those such as the KIPP schools and East Palo Alto Charter School that have clear goals to send all of its students to college. Charter schools vary in their missions and that should be taken into consideration. We also need to stop judging schools solely on test scores. Our students have plenty of talents that can be used to make them productive citizens that are not measured by test scores.

Mario of NC 4:22PM June 17, 2009

What were the variables measured to compare low-income/English-learner students and black/Hispanic student success?
What were the findings related to charter schools versus public school achievment in NY?

Wylie of NY 2:49PM June 17, 2009

The performance of charter schools is little more than a selling point. Charters are good because of the abstract opportunity that they offer.
The charter schools that bring those averages down will close, because no college or business wants to support a school that has the flexibility to do good things and fails to, or they will improve. This first generation of charter schools is inherently full of trial and error. That is the point. Error is sometimes a result of trying something new and creative. Then, as Edison is supposed to have said, "I just learned one more way NOT to make a lightbulb".
There is a lot of conflicting, rigorous research that shows Charter schools making great gains. http://www.showmeinstitute.org/publication/id.195/pub_detail.asp Dr. Carolyn Hoxby has taken two groups of students, one group that applied for a charter and was accepted and one that applied but did not get a seat, thereby controlling for motivation. Her findings show that students in charter schools make more progress from year to year, compounding over time, and put economically disadvantaged students at or ahead of the achievements of children in more privileged districts.
I'd recommend getting Dr. Hoxby's opinion on this research and its methodology.

Emily of MO 2:17PM June 17, 2009