Don't Touch Charter School Stimulus Money
November 13th, 2009 by Trisha Kehaulani WatsonThis is a terrible idea.
Charter schools in this state already get the short end of the stick. Give them their stimulus funds. (See article on legislators' efforts to take stimulus funds from the character schools to make up for furlough fridays.)
I understand we need to invest in education. Yet, we should not take from schools that are worse off to give to schools that are (however slightly) better off.
You don't take from the poorest to give to the poor.
Further, charter schools have become havens for Hawaiian students and educators who found that they no place in the public education system, many of which alienated Hawaiian children for generations. Charter schools have helped with the regeneration of the Hawaiian culture, making a Hawaiian education available to children of all backgrounds throughout the state. Many of these schools find they have better retention rates and graduation rates than traditional public schools, and they also help to nurture their students in ways other schools did not. To continue to take resources away from these schools is absurd and shows just how little the state understands about how important charter schools are in the communities they serve.
Also, helping charter schools will bring in money. Charter schools have been pleading with the state for years to give them equal funding for their students and to make the state eligible for more federal money. Everybody saw this coming. It's why US Secretary of Education Arne Duncan in his editorial printed in the Honolulu Advertiser on October 23, 2009 mentioned the state needing to make itself eligible for more funding. Funding charter schools is a way to do this.
Information on the "Race to the Top" funding can be read here.
The application requires states to document their past success and outline their plans to extend their reforms by using college- and career-ready standards and assessments, building a workforce of highly effective educators, creating educational data systems to support student achievement, and turning around their lowest-performing schools.
The $4.35 billion for the Race to the Top Fund is an unprecedented federal investment in reform. Duncan will reserve up to $350 million to help states create assessments aligned to common sets of standards. The remaining $4 billion will be awarded in a national competition.
To qualify, states must have no legal barriers to linking student growth and achievement data to teachers and principals for the purposes of evaluation. They also must have the department's approval for their plans for both phases of the Recovery Act's State Fiscal Stabilization Fund prior to being awarded a grant.
The final application released today includes significant changes to the proposal released by the U.S. Department of Education in July. After reviewing responses to the draft proposals from 1,161 people, who submitted thousands of unique comments, ranging from one paragraph to 67 pages, the U.S. Department of Education restructured the application and changed it to reflect the ideas of the public.
If we should find that we are not ready to "race to the top" as a state, perhaps we need to immediately figure out who let us fall so far to the bottom.
But to make children suffer in the process is simply not acceptable.
Tags: charter schools, public education
November 13th, 2009 at 12:40 pm
I agree that we should not take anymore from the charter schools. They already have shown the ability to do much more with less so why screw up something that is working well. Lessons should be taken from the charter schools about how they are doing so well with less and apply them as best as possible to the wider public schools.
November 13th, 2009 at 12:49 pm
Sadly Charter Schools have become nothing more than anti-american and anti-haole indoctrination centers. Many refuse to teach the Pledge of Alligence or American history for example. Like vouchers it is just one more nail in the coffin of public education in Hawaii. I would be interested to hear why some feel they are needed. It seems like 'OK Sue or Kimo is not doing well in public school so let's put them in an easier school'? Seems like it handicaps our young people so they can't compete in the 21st century. Lastly I pay taxes to support public schools not charter schools where the curriculum seems to be whatever the teacher feels like that day.
November 13th, 2009 at 12:50 pm
Robert... got any stats or studies to back that claim up?
November 13th, 2009 at 2:43 pm
I will get to it when I have the time, but a quick check of the schooldigger website for charter schools showed some interesting results. Gotta run now, but will get back to it soon.
November 13th, 2009 at 2:49 pm
I agree with Kehaulani.
Caroline Hoxby Professor of Economics at Harvard's "Achievement in Charter Schools and Regular Public Schools in the United StatesL Understanding the Differences (December 2004):
1. 99% of all elementary students in charter schools were included in her study
2. "The results suggest that charter schools are especially likely to raise the achievement of students who are poor or Hispanic.
3.Some of her methodology is described with description of her study regarding fourth graders on pages 3 and 4.
http://www.innovations.harvard.edu/cache/documents/4848.pdf
As a property tax payer in Hawai'i I want *my* property tax dollars to go to charter schools.
November 13th, 2009 at 3:05 pm
"I would be interested to hear why some feel they are needed. It seems like 'OK Sue or Kimo is not doing well in public school so let's put them in an easier school'?"
For some... it's our PERSONAL experience in the public school system.
By the way some charter schools are not Hawaiian charter schools.
Some stats can be seen here too:
http://hcsao.org/hicharters/profiles
Connections:
http://165.248.6.166/data/tests.asp?schoolcode=396
Education Laboratory aka University Lab School http://www.hawaii.edu/crdg/uls/
http://165.248.6.166/data/tests.asp?schoolcode=543
Halau Lokahi:
http://165.248.6.166/data/tests.asp?schoolcode=542
Halau Ku Mana:
http://165.248.6.166/data/tests.asp?schoolcode=543
They are good alternatives.
I want the taxes that I pay to go to charter schools.
November 13th, 2009 at 11:18 pm
Will a State which led the US in its 21st Century Vision by adopting the UN Declaration of Rights of Indigenous Persons in 2005 waver in her commitment by sacrificing our childrens' diverse educational opportunities? Likely the R&D that distinguished the Charter Schools' creativity will be forced to collaborate more intimately with the mainstream, and vice-versa, in this era of retrenchment.
November 14th, 2009 at 8:46 am
Tangential, for sure, but I thought you were going to write about this one....
http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/20091114/NEWS07/911140324/Teacher+in+Wisconsin+sex+case+resigns
Or is it now moot?
November 14th, 2009 at 7:27 pm
Here's my opinion on the subject. The charter school in Nanakuli has teachers all with master’s degrees and students who attend are chosen (naturally the best). All the while in our public schools the slower students are struggling to learn with many inexperienced teachers (due to the yearly high teacher turnover) and without the peer pressure of those brighter students.
Another thing is that this charter school is competing with private schools for students. Why should parents pay thousands for their child’s education when there’s a private school available paid for by taxpayers?
Now if these charter schools were to take the slower students, bring them up to speed so they can be returned to the public school, then having them at taxpayers expense makes sense.
November 17th, 2009 at 2:30 am
Charte schools -vs-private schools? You killing me uncle! The students that attend the charter schools are lucky...not because they are "priviledge" but because of the quality of the care they receive from the teachers. Thus, more students "look forward" to attending therefore, are willing to learn more. The teachers are more dedicated and these students appreciate/acknowledge that kind of actions-RESPECT emulates from both sides. The parents of these students (of charter schools) are involved more-despite what the naysayers claim-support their children and their schools...and that means lots of parental participation. Win-Win. And all this...and way too less funding!! Actually, in spite of the proper funding afforded to them.
We must be vigilent though, if the charter schools shows too many success cases-it could jeporadize the whole concept of these schools. After all, we can't have too many children learning well here in Hawaii!! It just might close up the gap between the learners and the elite! They might even become our leaders one day and still some people would say...no way, not you guys! All this bundled up means it could be classified as strategy...strategy to keep control over our people....for as long as possible!
And uncle, the charter schools accepts any and all students that are interested in attending their school. Just like the public schools..but better! That means no difference between the "smart ones" and the problem ones. Aloha
November 17th, 2009 at 10:02 am
So Tita should we disband the public schools and make them ALL Charter Schools? Further many will not take all comers but only certain (the best?) students. Also who controls the curriculum and who oversees them? Are they accredited and recognized by colleges? Are Charter Colleges next? Isn't your real goal or preference to create a separate (but equal) Hawaiians-only school system?
Just asking
November 17th, 2009 at 10:28 am
Unbelievable! Another idea we agree upon. Good job.
Aloha,
Keahi
November 17th, 2009 at 11:05 am
Sorry took so long. Anyway Makaulike I couldn't find the data I was hoping to find which was the graduation rate between charter schools and regular public schools, however even if I did so it probably would be like comparing apples to oranges because of their different curriculums. As I did originally cite the schooldigger website stats on charter schools, I was able to look at the information about 6 such schools. 3 of them were of the Hawaiian immersion-type you could say while the rest were tech or some other alternative type of school. 2 of the Hawaiian-immersion schools were below the rest of the state when it came to the 2007 HSA results while the other 4 were above. Overall I guess it is safe to say that when it comes to the basics (HSA-Reading and Math) the results on charter schools are a mixed bag. While your statement that 'OK Sue or Kimo is not doing well in public school so let's put them in an easier school' is true for some in charter schools, in many cases it isn't. For many parents, they can't afford private schools and don't like what is being offered in a regular public school. Some of these charter schools like the Tech Academy in Waipahu are probably giving our kids more of what is relevant for their futures than the regular public schools. For those kids who can't hack it in a traditional school setting, they would probably end up dropping out if it wasn't for the alternative education a charter school brings. While they might not end up getting an equivalent education as their regular public school peers, some will go on to become productive citizens where they otherwise might have been just a burden on society. There are different forms of intelligence that need to be taught in different ways for some kids. While like you I don't believe that anti-American values should be taught at any publicy funded schools, I don't believe by and large this is the case.
November 17th, 2009 at 12:01 pm
Mahalo Robert.... great explaination! Indeed if charter schools get the job done with more grads maybe that is the way to go. I don't understand this issue and am studying it. I agree 100% that its better that kids go to a charter school than drop out, I guess my concern is oversight, cirriculum and how this trend as well as the right wings call for a vouchers will affect the public schools system. I'd rather parents, Kanaka or whatever, get involved in the school system and change it. The American public school system perhaps more than any other thing has helped our country have one of the highest standards of living in the world. To my mind _opportunity for education_ is indeed the great equalizer and I agree with you tho that there are many types of diff. 'education'. My nephew is a perfect example... he hated classes/school... didn't test well and barely passed HS... so we got him into a training program and he's becoming a electrician and will make more $ than you and I!
As for funding... it should be almost equal but from my research its falling far short... But for me... no pledge or American History? No tax payer funding.
AND more important than all that... a OPEN full DOE audit and a transparency web site where taxpayers can see how their money is being spent!
Aloha