Charter school supporters take to street Friday
FYI: Since charter schools are a big interest area here, some of you may want to know about this event Friday.
Charter Schools Rally at State Capitol to Draw Close to 1,000
Event will feature students, parents, educators, politicians and other charter supporters
WHAT: Rally at the Capitol for Charter Schools
WHERE: Georgia State Capitol (Washington Street side), 214 State Capitol, Atlanta
WHEN: 10 a.m. – Noon, Friday, Nov. 6
ATLANTA – A crowd of nearly 1,000 students, parents, educators, politicians and others will show their support for public charter schools in Georgia at the first ever “Rally at the Capitol for Charter Schools,” Friday, Nov. 6, 10 a.m. – noon, on the steps of the Georgia State Capitol building.
Event will illustrate bi-partisan, diverse support for charter public schools
The event is coordinated by the Georgia Charter Schools Association and sponsored by Connections Academy (a virtual K-12 online school). It is designed to show the growing amount of support in Georgia for charter schools, which are seen as quality public educational options by an increasing number of parents and communities from various socioeconomic backgrounds.
There will be performances and remarks from influential political leaders, including:
- · State Rep. Jan Jones (R – Alpharetta), House Minority Whip
- · State Rep. Alisha Morgan (D – Austell)
- · State Rep. Ed Setzler (R – Acworth)
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90 comments Add your comment
jim d
November 4th, 2009
1:47 pm
That’ll stir a late friday afternoon blog!!
Jennifer
November 4th, 2009
2:02 pm
I think there will be some student speakers as well. I have found that student speakers speak from the heart and we should all be listening.
Reality 2
November 4th, 2009
2:57 pm
Isn’t it a regular school day this Friday? Or, is it a holiday?
Some charter schools work, and others don’t. I have nothing against them except when someone who do not live in our district decide that a new charter school should be started using our district’s money.
Ed Johnson
November 4th, 2009
3:10 pm
With her “Close the Gap” net cast early on to entice gullible fish, Rep. Alisha Morgan now starts drawing in her catch to support “Charter Schools” on the way to dismantling public education and clearing the way for vouchers and privatization.
Batgirl
November 4th, 2009
3:15 pm
Georgia’s public school teachers have already been furloughed three days, our support staff five. We are all expecting that there will be more furlough days. I am a school media specialist. My budget this year should have been about $7,500, but our accountant only gave us enough to pay for our circulation system. There will be no new library books this year unless I personally buy them, and like everyone else I don’t have the money. NOBODY HAS ANY MONEY. How can anybody even think about throwing money at charter schools and taking it away from traditional public schools? I’m sure that some of you can point to anecdotal evidence that shows that charter schools do a better job, but I’m willing to bet that they, like private schools, don’t take or KEEP the kids who are disruptive or who fail to achieve. Oh, and let’s see how many of these schools are still around in a couple of years and which have failed because they are based on some goofy idea and run by someone brilliant know-it-all whose never set foot in a school.
North Fulton Mom
November 4th, 2009
3:24 pm
How interesting that my representative, Jan Jones is on this list. She will be hearing from me and many other PTA moms very shortly on what we think of her attempt to undermine our high performing North Fulton schools. Rep Jones, you do not represent a district that wants nor needs resources being drained from our public schools!
Jennifer
November 4th, 2009
3:47 pm
A charter is a public school. It is financially no different that the county opening up a district run charter (ie Gwinnett Math and Science, Academy of Excellence, or the new Technical Charter School) (except maybe the county isn’t skimming off the top first and not giving the proper $$ to the student and school).
Jennifer
November 4th, 2009
3:48 pm
Reality Too –
You do have many people in your district that had a say – every elected official at the Capitol and your state board member. All of them are either voted in by you or appointed by a Governor you elected.
Alpharetta Transplant
November 4th, 2009
4:14 pm
North Fulton Mom, I was surprised to see Rep. Jones on this list too – almost everyone in our neighborhood agrees the schools in our area are not in need of an overhaul. Why in the world is our community being dragged into this? Needless to say, none of us voted for this when we voted for Jones and she better not be counting on our votes when she gets challenged in the next Republican primary.
Maureen Downey
November 4th, 2009
4:21 pm
Alpharetta Transplant and North Fulton Mom, State Rep. Jan Jones is a leader in the charter school movement. She sponsored HB 881, which created the new state-appointed commission to authorize a charter school’s use of a school system’s per-pupil funding, including local money — even if the local school board did not approve it.
She’s been out front on charters for a while and has written at least two op-eds for the AJC endorsing charters, so I assume she must have support within her district for her position.
Maureen
?????
November 4th, 2009
4:41 pm
MOST CHARTER SCHOOL DONT WORK .ITS A WASTE OF OUR MONEY….STOP IT NOW.
?????
November 4th, 2009
4:44 pm
CHARTER DOES COST MORE MONEY AND THE RETURN IS BAD . MY CHILDREN WENT TO CHARTER ITS JUST MAKES IT SO YOU CAN KEEP PEOPLE OUT OF YOUR SCHOOL. NOT GOOD IF IT COMES FROM EVERYONE TAX DOLLARS.
Alpharetta Transplant
November 4th, 2009
4:48 pm
Maureen, I just looked into this and you are correct. She did sponsor this bill. What’s interesting is that it was not a major part of her platform (at least not that I was aware of) at the last election. And she did have my support but for myriad reasons, none of which pertained to her support for charter schools. I would venture to guess the vast majority of this area of Fulton, is of the opinion that the neighborhood schools in this part of Fulton are not broken and most would probably not like to see alternatives to the local schools which is why her position is vexing to me. Most voters, unfortunately myself included, are relatively low-information voters and so this did come as a shock to me.
But anyway, we deserve what we vote for and this blog is great for keeping us informed – we’ll go into the next election better voters as a result.
Allen
November 4th, 2009
5:10 pm
Repeat after me: A charter is a public school. A charter is a public school. A charter is a public school.
As public schools, charter schools do not dump disruptive children. They DO attract children whose parents want something better for their children.
Charter schools in many districts get less money, from the county, than mainstream schools. If you type in all caps, I guess you can work that out to them costing more.
Money ‘thrown’ at charter schools is used to educate children, just as in mainstream schools. It’s fascinating that the counties showed so little interest in charters before their arbitrary stranglehold on state dollars was challenged.
The state-appointed commission was created by elected state representatives, just as county superintendents and staff are appointed by elected school board members.
Charter Supporter
November 4th, 2009
5:25 pm
Simply put, charter schools ARE PUBLIC SCHOOLS and do not drain money from traditional public schools. It just is not the case.
To put it in simplest terms, though it may sound cryptic, every public school student in Georgia has a price tag attached to him/her. That price tag is the cost associated with educating that child, which differs depending on the services/resources that child may need (ESOL, EIP, other special needs services, etc.). When that child moves or transfers to another school or school district, that money goes with him/her.
There’s no difference when that child’s parents decide that the what her/him to attend a charter school. The money follows the child to that school.
So to the North Fulton Parents and Batgirl, if your district’s CFO’s are telling you that your schools are going without because they have to send funding to the charter schools in your districts, I regret to inform you that you’re being lied to. You may want to dig a little deeper and find the REAL answer.
Also, substandard public schools in any part of the metro area, or state for that matter, will eventually hurt any resident. For example, when corporations decide to relocate from state to state, they look at the public schools in that state to A) see if they are good enough for their executive’s children (though many opt for private schools) and B)to see if the state will provide their company with a large enough educated workforce. When businesses stop coming to Georgia (and that trend is starting, slowly) the economy sours, and that hurts everyone.
Jennifer
November 4th, 2009
6:04 pm
I would encourage some North Fulton folks to head down to some low income title I schools in Gwinnett, Atlanta, Dekalb or Fulton. Look around, talk to the kids, see what the academic expectation is for these students – then join the ranks of those who believe that a zip code cannot and should not determine your educational lot in life. If you don’t want charter school options (public money going to public schools operated independently from district/state policy and innovative options for all parents) after those few visits then you will never be a charter supporter. Keep in mind, if you don’t support charters – you shouldn’t be supporting your districts engagement in an IE2 contract. There is virtually no difference between the two, except charter schools have a HIGHER level of scrutiny with the state. Visit a KIPP charter school in Atlanta or Ivy Preparatory Charter Academy in Gwinnett. I think you will be floored at the different in expectations for students. I know I was. Just two years ago I was a low information level voter as well. No more, never again.
Charter school supporters take to street Friday | Get Schooled School’s Rate
November 4th, 2009
6:35 pm
[...] the rest here: Charter school supporters take to street Friday | Get Schooled By admin | category: school work | tags: board, charter-schools, district, frances, [...]
Mickey
November 4th, 2009
7:44 pm
1. President Obama, former President Bush, and Newt Gingrich are just a few who support charter schools from both sides of the aisle.
2. Charter schools are public schools of choice.
3. If your public schools in North Fulton are so good, why is there such a strong private school sector in North Fulton?
4. How are the schools doing for your friends in South Fulton, DeKalb and APS where the faces of the students are not like those in North Fulton.
5. Looks like the GA House members mentioned are doing what they can to offer parents and their children more public school options so they can find the best setting to achieve; charter or traditional.
6. To quote Bob Dylan “The times, they are a changin”.
Charterstarter, too
November 4th, 2009
8:03 pm
Batgirl, charters earn funds just like you do – based on our FTE count and a state funding formula (minus 3% administrative costs the districts get to keep – wonder if they ever mentioned that?). Educate yourself and figure out how money gets allocated. Go look up the LUA manual on the state website that explains QBE formula earnings. Pull down your system’s allotment sheet of the DOE site (www.doe.k12.ga.us; data reporting tab) and see how much they have earned based on their pupil counts to go towards media centers. Then go to a charter’s allotment sheet. Do the math. You’ll see that they figure THE SAME. Charters serve the kids in the district – they deserve books like other kids do. And media specialists at PUBLIC charter schools deserve to be paid…just like you do. The charters have taken the same budget cuts that state and districts have taken – and it has hit them just as hard…perhaps harder. The main point here is that 1) charter schools are PUBLIC SCHOOLS that came into existence because of federal guidance, state statute, and state board rules. 2) Charters earn funds the same way district schools earn it….through a funding formula (albeit archaic and convoluted) by the state – and they do not generally get 100% of what district schools get. 3) Charters work hard, just like district schools; care about kids, just like district schools; are here to help communities, just like district schools.
Tracey S.
November 4th, 2009
8:03 pm
I’m another North Fulton parent (there sure are a lot of us on these blogs!) that stumbled across this blog and wanted to chime in. I’m not against charter schools as I’m sure some areas could use them but I just really don’t see a need for charters in this part of the metro area.
CharterSupporter, I think your argument would work in many places but charters just aren’t a widely supported proposition in areas where the schools are already performing well. There’s not much of an incentive for change if your local schools are already meeting local expectations.
My concern about a charter commission is that if say Mountain Park Elementary school in North Fulton loses 2 students to a charter and the school loses $15,000 in state funding as a result, where do the $15,000 in cuts come from? If the school were to cut a teacher or make the Spanish teacher a half day teacher, I think that hurts the rest of the students. I can see where the tradeoff is worth it in areas where parents desperately need more choices, but that’s just not a situation we face in this part of the metro area. So even if Mountain Park loses one or two students to charters, those students moving aren’t affected but we’re sacrificing something for all the other kids when the school (whose academic performance is among the best in the state) is doing what is supposed to be doing. I see charters as an accountability mechanism but in North Fulton, we like our local schools just as they are and so charters are viewed with skepticism. That’s why a state commission just sounds like a scary thought in these parts. I hope this perspective was useful!
- Trace.
Charterstarter, too
November 4th, 2009
8:10 pm
Mickey, you’re brilliant, simply brilliant.
Charterstarter, too
November 4th, 2009
8:25 pm
On another note (and it doesn’t matter which side of the political fence you’re on either)…I find it interesting that the Obama Administration (specifically Arne Duncan) has made it QUITE CLEAR that states without STRONG chartering will not be eligible for Race to the Top Funds. I wonder if the districts fighting so hard against the Commission and the other opponents of our charter school laws are going to end up cutting off their noses to spite their faces and impact ALL PUBLIC SCHOOLS ACROSS THE STATE and kill everyone’s opportunity to earn needed educational funding that will positively impact all students in Georgia. Power and money seems to always get in the way of good sense (and cents!)
Tracey S.
November 4th, 2009
8:34 pm
Maureen, my comments are not showing up – do I need to repost it?
Forsyth Resident
November 4th, 2009
8:49 pm
I respect those of you who support charters but with all due respect, why are you forcing the charter commission down on those of us that live in areas that don’t have a strong need for them? I have to join those in North Fulton who don’t think charters are necessary for my community – our schools are performing just fine and don’t need any more state interference. If parents in DeKalb, South Fulton, Atlanta want them they should be allowed to be governed by such a commission. I have no desire to stop other areas from getting their charters. But those of us that don’t want it for our communities should be forced to partake. Change is not always desirable or necessary.
SAEmommy
November 4th, 2009
10:37 pm
As tax payers supporting the fiasco called Fulton County Schools, we need charter schools.
Our north Fulton schools are quickly going down the drain. Many of the middle schools scores have dropped dramatically (nationally normed scores, not the CRCT joke). The high schools are already seeing Math 1 and Math 2 students seriously underperforming. The school system’s answer is to grade easier and teach less. Pass the student on, after all once they graduate, they are no longer our problem. Let them fail in college on their parents’ dime. At the same time, progression has been quietly all but phased out. In about 2 years, very few students will even make it to Calculus, let alone higher levels. As a parent, if you dare to ask any questions, at best you get a patronizing attitude if not outright hostility. At this point the administration has so mismanaged the school system and been so uncaring and unresponsive to parents that they really should all be fired. As that will not happen, we need charter schools, if for no other reason than to prove that our kids can learn, are hardworking, can be taught and that the real failure is Fulton County Schools’ administration.
Another N. Fulton Voice
November 4th, 2009
10:56 pm
Mickey, I was browsing through this, saw your post and have a few quick responses:
1. The book is still out on Obama but none of the three you brought up are particularly great exemplars of why we should rush to embrace charters.
2. You’re not giving us a choice of whether we want charters or not
3. Aside from Sandy Springs, the overwhelming majority of residents up here use public, including Milton, where I live. Sandy Springs is a great example of what happens when resources are diverted from existing public schools – school performance and community pride in local schools suffers.
4. Most of my friends have chosen to move where public schools are good, so I don’t have many friends with children in DeKalb, APS and South Fulton. Parents concerned about their children’s education always have the option to move. And no, N. Fulton is not all rich white people, contrary to what some on here may think. We have excellent diversity in many of our schools that extends beyond black-white.
5. You can probably expect some primary/general election challengers for certain reps that are not in tune with what the majority of N.Fulton voters want.
6. Times change but not all change is for the better.
Reality 2
November 4th, 2009
11:14 pm
Jennifer,
Maybe I am wrong, but aren’t the members of the committee that approves charters (away from the local district) appointed, not elected?
Even if they were elected, I still give those who were elected by the local community the more power. If the state wants to run charters, using a separate budget, that’s fine. Don’t just force the district to pay for it.
Another N. Fulton Voice
November 4th, 2009
11:17 pm
Maureen, since you pointed out that Jones has always been a charter school supporter, I also want to add that I on the whole approve of Representative Jones’ performance because she has been a strong leader on many issues important to N. Fulton residents. For those unfamiliar, Jones was an influential voice for the creation of independent cities in North Fulton and this is what got her many votes in past elections, not her apparent support for charter schools.
Charter School Teacher
November 4th, 2009
11:33 pm
I am a North Fulton/Alpharetta Mom AND a teacher at a very successful CHARTER SCHOOL in Alpharetta. I have also worked in two high achieving public schools in Alpharetta. Keep in mind- large public schools are NOT the BEST FIT for every child. No matter how good schools look on paper, the environment is unique at each one, just as every student is unique. Families have the right to choose the school that best fits their child. Charter Schools cannot pick and choose who enrolls at their schools- you cannot compare a charter school to a private school. We get students with the same behavior disorders, learning disabilities, and disfunctional families as any other public school.
BTW- Charter School Teachers are paid less, yet we still had furlough days, salary freezes and budget cuts.
Jennifer Sauer
November 5th, 2009
7:11 am
I have worked at both charter and traditional public schools. While both have their problems, I felt swindled at promises made by our charter management company, Imagine schools…we were paid very little and yet still told not to make copies, etc. I am curious as to how much money these “non-profit” CEOs truly make. Public schools have serious problems, like huge classes and over-testing, but I don’t see charter necessarily solving these fundamentals. Why can’t all public schools be safe, motivating, and supportive spaces for our youth? All children deserve this. We are paying for these schools so why can’t we as teachers, parents, students have a say in how they are run…that is democracy.
DontTreadOnMe
November 5th, 2009
7:23 am
Ed Johnson,
You’re right. The Nanny State won’t tolerate the “people” making their own choices.
Maureen Downey
November 5th, 2009
7:47 am
Tracey, I found one comment by you in the filter. It is out now. Are you missing any others?
Maureen
SBC Charter Roundup 43 – Schools Building Communities
November 5th, 2009
8:06 am
[...] Independent) D.C. — Md., Va. dip toes in charter school waters (Washington Post) Ga. — Charter school supporters take to street Friday (Atlanta Constitution Journal) Ill. — School options (Chicago Tribune) Ill. — Chicago may open [...]
Allen
November 5th, 2009
8:50 am
Reality 2:
The charter commission was appointed by elected officials–state representatives elected in the same local elections in which school board members are chosen. How did your county get its school superintendent and other administrators?
The charter commission is not taking district funds. It allocates some of the state money given to districts to charters instead of 100% to the district. In DeKalb, this may mean a few less relatives appointed “Executive Director of Washing Crawford’s Car,” hence DCSS and BOE are suing.
Jennifer S: Not all charters are run by private corporations. While you may be correct about charters administered in that way, for the most part this discussion is about charters initiated by parents within a community, not the unfortunate situation you describe.
ATLNative
November 5th, 2009
8:52 am
The discussion taking place on this blog demonstrate first hand the types of problems that will arise when a state commission with the power to override local districts is instituted for the entire state of Georgia. I have pointed out in previous blogs that unless there is a referendum and subsequent elections for the state commission, the commission will have at best indirect accountability from voters. Many N. Fulton parents are apparently now beginning to realize that their representatives didn’t vote exactly the way they wanted because they voted based on issues other than charters. Direct accountability where voters are voting on one particular set of issues (as happens in school board elections or referendums) largely avoids this problem.
And from a practical perspective, I honestly think that an appointed state commission is not the best way to push charters forward. The idea of a state commission with veto power over local communities scares many many people and will result in lawsuits, vocal opposition, unhappy voters complaining to their representatives, etc. Charter supporters should recognize this dynamic and push for more inclusive ways (holding referendums on the commission, trying to recall board members like some residents in Cobb are apparently trying to do) rather than in a bureaucratic fashion. If politically important communities like public school parents that aren’t in charters, taxpayers without children and neighborhoods with strong public schools are turned off by such heavy handed approaches, that ultimately hurts rather than helps the charter school movement.
Johns Creek Mommy
November 5th, 2009
9:58 am
I’m a mother of two children in N. Fulton schools and I actually moved here because of the schools. I’m not rich by any means but my husband and I made the choice to move to where the public schools are good so I wouldn’t have to worry about having to send them to private or trying to transfer them elsewhere. I just can’t help but wonder if people that now want to allow funds to be transferred out of my local schools really understand that it’s not what most people that move into this region want. The school can’t just sell a few bricks and walls every-time a student decides to go to a charter school. With our lean budget all it can do is hire less teachers, and for a school that is already very high performing, taking away money from what works is not the solution. Fix what’s broken and keep what’s working…
Bill Denton
November 5th, 2009
10:49 am
ATLNative, thank you for giving a voice to those of us that form the silent majority in many places. We have got to get rid of this “everything in Georgia is flawed and we need to gut the whole system” mentality that many charter supporters have. I like the idea of charters but my support stops when we have the state coming into my community and telling me that my local schools, which I don’t have a problem with, need to give up money because some appointed commission that I wasn’t even thinking of when I voted for representative, decided that our local schools aren’t performing well enough and need to share their resources. Charter supporters, you will lose voters like me, of which there are many, faster than you realize if you continue to push this state commission on communities that don’t want the intrusion.
Confused
November 5th, 2009
11:07 am
Why is everyone so adamant about the money staying with the local school when the students no longer attend there. Would the same individuals in this blog feel this way if you moved your child to a different county to attend another public school? Would you want the new school to tell you we can’t take your child because we don’t have the resources to educate them since the funds alloted from the state have to stay at the school you originally had your child attending? Somehow I don’t think you would take kindly to that. What then is the difference when charter schools are in fact public schools as well? Why is there so much hostility? By reading the posts here I get that most people responding have an issue with the commission. If the local school board had authorized the charters and moved the money to those said charters that THEY approved would there still be an issue. Several local school districts have approved some charters and they willingly give up the money. Why is that not an issue?
Allen
November 5th, 2009
11:07 am
Johns Creek Mommy, not everyone has the option of living in Johns Creek. Charter schools ARE local schools. You seem to think money is being transferred to some other planet where your child can’t access it, when in fact what is happening is that the STATE funds (not your local district funds) are used to help set up charters OPEN TO ALL (are your Johns Creek schools open to all, BTW, or primarily to those who could afford to move to Johns Creek?)
Bill–No, this is not an attempt to “gut the whole system.” It is an attempt to help LOCAL PUBLIC charter schools get established, as part of the system, with STATE funds because in some areas local schools do not perform equally well and/or because local school boards elected by an electorate that probably wasn’t thinking any more about charters than was the electorate that elected state reps (BTW, those are actually the same electorate, and unfortunately what most concerns many BOEs isn’t necessarily educational quality) refuse to consider ANYTHING that places a penny outside their control.
Confused
November 5th, 2009
11:23 am
What is a charter school?
A charter school is a nonsectarian public school of choice that operates with freedom from many of the regulations that apply to traditional public schools. The “charter” establishing each such school is a performance contract detailing the school’s mission, program, goals, students served, methods of assessment, and ways to measure success. The length of time for which charters are granted varies, but most are granted for 3-5 years, but some charters in Georgia have been granted 10 years in their charter. At the end of the term, the entity granting the charter may renew the school’s contract. Charter schools are accountable to their sponsor-usually a state or local school board-to produce positive academic results and adhere to the charter contract. The basic concept of charter schools is that they exercise increased autonomy in return for this accountability. They are accountable for both academic results and fiscal practices to several groups: the sponsor that grants them, the parents who choose them, and the public that funds them.
Flexibility [b]
Under O.G.C.A. § 20-2-280 and SBOE Rule 160-5-1-.33, the Gwinnett County Public School
District is seeking state flexibility for all its schools from the following state statutes and/or rules
in exchange for greater accountability (see measures below) over the life of a five-year contract
between the Gwinnett Board of Education and the Georgia State Board of Education.
• Flexibility with regards to Class-size and Reporting requirements (O.G.C.A. § 20-2-182)
• Flexibility with regards to Expenditure Controls (O.G.C.A § 20-2-171)
• Flexibility with regards to QBE Financing (O.G.C.A § 20-2-160)
• Flexibility with regards to Categorical Allotment requirements (Article 6 of Chapter 2 of
Title 20)
• [b]Flexibility with regards to Salary Schedule requirements (O.G.C.A § 20-2-212)
• Flexibility with regards to Certification requirements (O.G.C.A § 20-2-200)
• Flexibility with regards to Employment, Conditions of Employment as it relates to DutyFree Lunch (O.G.C.A. § 20-2-218)
• Flexibility with regards to School Attendance, Compulsory Attendance as it relates to the
attendance protocol (O.G.C.A § 20-2-690.2)
• Flexibility with regards to ELL Program requirements (O.G.C.A § 20-2-156)
• Flexibility with regards to Educational Programs (O.G.C.A § 20-2-152)• Flexibility with regards to Organization of Schools; Middle School Programs; Schedule
(O.G.C.A § 20-2-290)
• Flexibility with regards to Competencies and Core Curriculum (O.G.C.A § 20-2-142 and
SBOE Rule 160-4-2-.48)
Role of the District: The district shall lead and support local schools in setting and achieving
high academic standards for each student while monitoring total student and subgroup
participation and performance in all areas within Georgia’s Single Statewide Accountability
System and in all areas of additional accountability outlined within this strategic plan. The
district also will work with the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement in monitoring of the
school plans as outlined in the rule and defined in each school plan. Monitoring will include the
review of the preponderance of evidence in evaluating each school’s progress toward meeting its
performance goals. Significant changes in school achievement levels and/or student populations
will be evaluated with OSA at the end of the contract year and will initiate the review of
subsequent performance goals.
As new schools open in future years, GCPS will enter into discussion with The Governor’s
Office of Student Achievement to determine the establishment of baseline data and
accountability goals for five subsequent years or for the remaining length of the contract.
Consequences for not achieving the performance goals outlined in the partnership contract
include monitored, then directed, management of the school and school processes. Local district
sanctions will be in place before the fifth year of measurement of the performance goals. Should
one or more schools not improve after district-level support is provided and be deemed out of
compliance by the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement and the Department of Education
based on the preponderance of evidence related to achievement of all performance goals, the
consequence implemented by GCPS will be to institute loss of governance by completing and
implementing processes for conversion charter school status
Confused
November 5th, 2009
11:26 am
Charter schools receive less funding than comparable traditional public schools
Atlanta Public Schools: $13,318/pupil
Fulton County: $9,193/pupil
Gwinnett County: $8,012/pupil
Tift County: $7,784/pupil
State: $8,728/pupil
Charter average: $7,023/pupil
Reality 2
November 5th, 2009
11:58 am
Jennifer, Confused, and others,
So charter schools may receive less money than other traditional public schools. However, for example, $9193/pupil for Fulton County can’t be all coming from the portion of the state money that were coming to the district, can it? If not, then, the commission is indeed making the district spend money on schools they did not approve.
Allen said, “The charter commission is not taking district funds. It allocates some of the state money given to districts to charters instead of 100% to the district. In DeKalb, this may mean a few less relatives appointed “Executive Director of Washing Crawford’s Car,” hence DCSS and BOE are suing.” OK, so the money is coming from the state. But by the same logic about the members of the commission being appointed by elected officials (who knows by which constituents), isn’t the state money (i.e., our taxes) is local money? I don’t see how you can consider this as not taking money from traditional schools.
Bill Denton
November 5th, 2009
12:11 pm
Allen, you hit the nail on the head when you wrote “in SOME areas local schools do not perform equally well.” In SOME other areas, the local schools are fine – why does my district have to follow the ruling of the state charter commission? I can vouch that the vast majority of my neighbors just don’t want to be under a state charter commission – can we vote to opt out? Finally, when do you think a voter is more likely to consider charters – when voting for a school board candidate or when voting for a state legislative candidate?
Maureen Downey
November 5th, 2009
12:14 pm
Folks, I am also getting confused by the discussion of charter financing.
So to clarify: In the past, charter schools that opened with the blessing of the local school board received the same per-pupil instructional funding as any other school in the system.
In fact, most charters in Georgia originally were conversion charters – existing public schools that added charter to their names and opened with the approval of the school board. (Some impressive charters today that were existing public schools include DeKalb’s Chamblee High School and Cobb’s Walton.)
Only a few charters were “start-ups” in the beginning and they had a tougher road as they didn’t get facilities money, which created a real financial challenge.
But the most challenged charters were those turned down by the local boards of education and then approved by the state board. Those state-approved schools did not get the local education dollars.
That all changed with the passage of HB 881, which is why the local boards are now up in arms and rushing to court.
The law allows applicants to bypass local school boards and pitch their case to a new state seven-member commission nominated by the governor, lieutenant governor and speaker and approved by the state school board.
Again, while the state school board could overrule a local board and sanction a charter, that new school was not entitled to the tax dollars raised locally for education, only to the state and federal shares.
Now, under House Bill 881, charters get the whole caboodle — state, federal and local dollars. (The bill obfuscates this issue with some cloudy language, but the local tax dollars are in the mix.)
When the bill was passed, the sponsor, state Rep. Jan Jones (R-Alpharetta), said the Legislature had to intervene because too many school boards were “indifferent, disinterested and occasionally hostile to charter schools.” Of 28 charter school applications submitted in the prior year, she said local school boards approved only two.
I hope that helps.
Maureen
Marie
November 5th, 2009
12:23 pm
Does anyone have a list or know where I can go to find out which 28 schools submitted applications, which two were approved and the reasoning behind each of the decisions? I know Gwinnett has been notorious for not approving charters but does the evidence point to many other counties having the same problem?
Andrew
November 5th, 2009
12:45 pm
If I have a child and I live in Gwinnett I pay taxes so that my child can go to school. The school is reimburse for my child by a set amount called the per pupil amount.
Later I decide to send my child to another publically funded school that is governed approved by my elected state board of education representatives.
I have already paid taxes should that school get my tax dollars.
If you do not send your child to a charter school then you are not funding the charter school It is based on a per pupil funding.
Yes the district loses the money, but they also no longer have to educate that child when my child leaves.
Dialogue
November 5th, 2009
1:12 pm
Maureen,
The discussion comes back around to charter financing because it seems either the posters are upset because funds they believe are being taken FROM their school system or they don’t like the way our legislature created the charter school commission and the powers that were given to them by the commission. Rather than being so upset with the commission their anger would be better directed at voting out the legislative body that created the commission in the first place. Also some of the posters appear to feel since their particular school or school system is doing well charters shouldn’t be allowed in those communities. Personally I can’t speak about every school in my area nor can I speak to what someone else’s experience may be right in my own child’s school.
Dialogue
November 5th, 2009
1:17 pm
In response to the individuals that feel if 99% are happy and somehow they are more important than the 1% here is a parable from Jesus.
How think ye? if a man have a hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray? 13And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray. In other words Every child is important not just the majority.
Allen
November 5th, 2009
1:31 pm
Bill D.
Thanks for your reply.
I probably should not have used the word “area” or “district.” I think you are writing from Fulton. In your part of Fulton, or wherever–your “area” or “district”–everything may be hunky-dory for your kid. In other parts it is not. Maybe the vast majority of your neighbors feel everything is great because everything is great for them. Maybe some others in your county–the administrative unit that until now approves and disapproves charters–do not share that feeling, but they have gotten nowhere with the school board (or more likely, the school administration) in pursuing this [for any of 100 reasons--e.g., in DeKalb one charter serves ~50% immigrants/refugees who tend to be pretty disenfranchised].
As for the argument “why does my district have to follow the ruling of the state charter commission?” that really is an ideological argument that goes beyond charter schools. Why, for example, do states where the majority disagree with a particular federal policy set by, say, the FDA, have to abide by that policy set by unelected appointees? Can those states vote to opt out?
Finally–and I do mean finally, because I am sure people are tired of seeing me say the same thing–I don’t think people think about charters when electing their school board reps, any more than they do in electing their state reps (many of whom do note their ‘commitment to education’ when they run). School board and state reps in GA are elected on the bases of name recognition/incumbency, party affiliation (for the state reps) and, sadly, race.
Maureen Downey
November 5th, 2009
1:47 pm
Marie, You would need to check each system, but I know that many metro systems turned down charters that year. Please note that I don’t think Rep. Jones would argue that all 28 should have been approved. There are good reasons why some charters get rejected.
Maureen