Are Charter Schools the Answer?
How do you bring about change to a hide bound institution such as education? California has embraced charter schools as the avenue of innovation and change. At some point in the future these new models are to lead the way to change in the structure and operation of our public schools. This sounds good, but the charter schools I’ve seen would be hard to emulate.
A typical bricks and mortar charter, with real teachers in a real building begins by writing their charter which spells out student and parent expectations. Since the charter is open to all, but in close proximity to few, parents must provide their own transportation. Because it’s a great idea, parents are required to volunteer a certain number of hours per month. Students are expected to be well motivated and behaved with clear expectations of backup and follow through at home. Since the charter is of limited nature it can’t be expected to provide “special” services for typical Special Ed, physically disabled, severe discipline problems or the emotionally disturbed.
How do you get in to a charter? First of all you have to aware of the option. That takes a scary level of parental involvement right there, judging by the how late many folks register their kids for school. It requires a level of concern also. A parent must have certain expectations for school beyond, “ I can hardly wait until he gets into 1st grade so they keep him all day!” We still have a three-hour kindergarten (vs. an all day program) program in our area. So, if a family is aware and interested and can provide their own transportation and have time to volunteer, hey, the family fits the bill.
How can they not succeed? They have a sure recipe for success. It doesn’t matter what else they write into their charter, they will succeed. Parent support, discipline, lots of motivated volunteers, good behavior (or else you’re gone), surrounded by like-minded students and families.
But how can this charter be replicated. Each charter skims the cream off the top. They skim off the parents who used to be your PTA presidents, room mothers, volunteer classroom aides, basically the most involved parents. That’s who gets skimmed off the schools in our area. Take a look at the article from the Washington Post: High Achievers Leaving Schools Behind. Whether it is good families leaving a poor school or good families leaving a good school for what they perceive as better the result is the same, where there is a concentration of good solid families, there will be a good school. What is this so called good family, it’s a family who values education, is always looking out for the best opportunities for their kids, will not sit still for what they perceive as a poor placement or a wasted year sub par instruction. They are the families who come to parent conferences, families who when called upon to provide support and discipline, respond, families who make it a priority to be involved and aware of alternatives and opportunities. These are the folks who become involved in charter schools and who will take advantage of the opportunities of No Child Left Behind (NCLB).
The reason this basic model of charter schools can not be replicated should be obvious by now, Charter School A skims off the top families and grows and flourishes, Charter School B comes along and does the same, but depending on the size of the district a charter school comes along built on the same model and they run out of the families who fit the bill. As more families are pulled off the top, the remaining public schools are left to educate everyone else. Gone are the top role models, gone are the volunteers and gone are the key parent leaders to filled the ranks of the PTA. Left behind are the “other” families, some who see the light and flee, other who will never see the light or even recognize the difference.
Where are the charter schools that begin at the bottom of the heap and work up? Where are the charter schools that address the issues of the kids who have no family support? If they are out there I’d sure like to hear about them.
I labored at a low functioning (bottom of the heap in test score ranking, a school where kids may transfer away form now) for ten years. I worked hard, believed that I could make a difference. I felt I was a good teacher, doing a good job. Teachers just like me, dedicated professionals, doing their best, surrounded me. The test scores at this school are not going up. They will never go up, given the clients we served. Yet this school will undergo all of the measures set forth by the California standards and the federal NCLB. Eventually the administration and all of the teachers will be replaced, but I am convinced that it will make absolutely no difference.
How can I be so sure? Because I know how I transformed from a good teacher into a great one. I changed schools. After ten years I was ready for a change of scenery, so I took an opening at a school across town. What made the difference? The PARENTS! I did not change one thing I was doing. I brought the same program I used at my previous school. Concerned, involved parents are the key to successful students and nothing in my school district or on the state or federal level addresses that problem. So all the initiatives focus on the schools and the teachers and they ignore the real problem, ill qualified parents, whose concerns and priorities do not include education.
A typical bricks and mortar charter, with real teachers in a real building begins by writing their charter which spells out student and parent expectations. Since the charter is open to all, but in close proximity to few, parents must provide their own transportation. Because it’s a great idea, parents are required to volunteer a certain number of hours per month. Students are expected to be well motivated and behaved with clear expectations of backup and follow through at home. Since the charter is of limited nature it can’t be expected to provide “special” services for typical Special Ed, physically disabled, severe discipline problems or the emotionally disturbed.
How do you get in to a charter? First of all you have to aware of the option. That takes a scary level of parental involvement right there, judging by the how late many folks register their kids for school. It requires a level of concern also. A parent must have certain expectations for school beyond, “ I can hardly wait until he gets into 1st grade so they keep him all day!” We still have a three-hour kindergarten (vs. an all day program) program in our area. So, if a family is aware and interested and can provide their own transportation and have time to volunteer, hey, the family fits the bill.
How can they not succeed? They have a sure recipe for success. It doesn’t matter what else they write into their charter, they will succeed. Parent support, discipline, lots of motivated volunteers, good behavior (or else you’re gone), surrounded by like-minded students and families.
But how can this charter be replicated. Each charter skims the cream off the top. They skim off the parents who used to be your PTA presidents, room mothers, volunteer classroom aides, basically the most involved parents. That’s who gets skimmed off the schools in our area. Take a look at the article from the Washington Post: High Achievers Leaving Schools Behind. Whether it is good families leaving a poor school or good families leaving a good school for what they perceive as better the result is the same, where there is a concentration of good solid families, there will be a good school. What is this so called good family, it’s a family who values education, is always looking out for the best opportunities for their kids, will not sit still for what they perceive as a poor placement or a wasted year sub par instruction. They are the families who come to parent conferences, families who when called upon to provide support and discipline, respond, families who make it a priority to be involved and aware of alternatives and opportunities. These are the folks who become involved in charter schools and who will take advantage of the opportunities of No Child Left Behind (NCLB).
The reason this basic model of charter schools can not be replicated should be obvious by now, Charter School A skims off the top families and grows and flourishes, Charter School B comes along and does the same, but depending on the size of the district a charter school comes along built on the same model and they run out of the families who fit the bill. As more families are pulled off the top, the remaining public schools are left to educate everyone else. Gone are the top role models, gone are the volunteers and gone are the key parent leaders to filled the ranks of the PTA. Left behind are the “other” families, some who see the light and flee, other who will never see the light or even recognize the difference.
Where are the charter schools that begin at the bottom of the heap and work up? Where are the charter schools that address the issues of the kids who have no family support? If they are out there I’d sure like to hear about them.
I labored at a low functioning (bottom of the heap in test score ranking, a school where kids may transfer away form now) for ten years. I worked hard, believed that I could make a difference. I felt I was a good teacher, doing a good job. Teachers just like me, dedicated professionals, doing their best, surrounded me. The test scores at this school are not going up. They will never go up, given the clients we served. Yet this school will undergo all of the measures set forth by the California standards and the federal NCLB. Eventually the administration and all of the teachers will be replaced, but I am convinced that it will make absolutely no difference.
How can I be so sure? Because I know how I transformed from a good teacher into a great one. I changed schools. After ten years I was ready for a change of scenery, so I took an opening at a school across town. What made the difference? The PARENTS! I did not change one thing I was doing. I brought the same program I used at my previous school. Concerned, involved parents are the key to successful students and nothing in my school district or on the state or federal level addresses that problem. So all the initiatives focus on the schools and the teachers and they ignore the real problem, ill qualified parents, whose concerns and priorities do not include education.
posted by Gary at 1:04 PM
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