NYT: Nation's Charter Schools Lagging Behind, U.S. Test Scores Reveal

[iconoclastic cat]

From today's NYT article:

NYT: Nation's Charter Schools Lagging Behind, U.S. Test Scores Reveal

Nation's Charter Schools Lagging Behind, U.S. Test Scores Reveal
By DIANA JEAN SCHEMO

ASHINGTON, Aug. 16 - The first national comparison of test scores among children in charter schools and regular public schools shows charter school students often doing worse than comparable students in regular public schools.

The findings, buried in mountains of data the Education Department released without public announcement, dealt a blow to supporters of the charter school movement, including the Bush administration.

The data shows fourth graders attending charter schools performing about half a year behind students in other public schools in both reading and math. Put another way, only 25 percent of the fourth graders attending charters were proficient in reading and math, against 30 percent who were proficient in reading, and 32 percent in math, at traditional public schools.

(snip)

Charters are expected to grow exponentially under the new federal education law, No Child Left Behind, which holds out conversion to charter schools as one solution for chronically failing traditional schools.

(more)

****

I am ashamed to admit that when I first read this, I thought, "Another Bush failure! More reasons to boot him."

Of course, Shrub doesn't give a damn. Even if he loses the election, how does Shrub's future compare to the fate of the students who have been the victims of his destructive influence on education? In the end, as always, the most vulnerable in our society--the poor, children, minorities--get the shaft while Shrub and lackeys like Rod Paige will go sailing off into the sunset unscathed.

My momentary schadenfreude at Shrubby's troubles is a sour and cold dish, yielding only heartburn and bile.

[MichiganVote]

1. No surprise to us in public education. Try the faith based-worse yet

[Lone_Voice]

2. Not really a fair comparison

Many charter schools are based in urban areas where the schools are already grossly underperforming. A more accurate study would have been to compare Charter Schools to schools within say a 10 mile radius of them.

[iconoclastic cat]

3. That's a good point.

You've been here since 2002? I always wonder: What has kept your post count so low?

[Lone_Voice]

5. I'm a browser

I like to read other peoples opinions. I only post when I feel strongly about a particular subject.

[Katarina]

4. Sigh

I'm probably going to get ripped up on this but here goes:

Just last week 2 of my children started in a Charter School. Why? Because I have lived in this school district for 9 years and every year it just gets worse. My 10 year old failed 4th grade last year. He has had close to 10 different teachers since he began kindergarten. They put him in Title 1 to help him with his reading but because the schools are so over-crowded they had to change the way that was done and took away Title 1's classroom. Teachers were supposed to go to the classes and help. Did they? Sometimes. But because they have so many students crushed together in schools sometimes they didn't get to them for weeks. Our middle school here is so over-crowded 6th graders don't get lockers this year. Same at the high school. My 9th grader won't get a locker this year. He has to carry all his books everyday. How fucked up is that?

They have taken away science labs in schools. They have closed down a school for students who have been expelled. They have had talks about building a "boot camp" type of facility across from the JAIL to put these kids in because they aren't allowed in the school system any longer. And these aren't just older kids either. How fucked up is that?

When this Charter School opened, they said they would not have more than 500 students. (This is elementary AND middle school). They offer spanish starting in Kindergarten! You all have no idea how back-woods our district has been up until now. You didn't get electives in middle school. Between 6-8 grade at the middle school you took agriculture every year. Well that's all fine and good if that's what interests you but shouldn't there be a choice? Nope, not here. My kids were bored - to - death in that class. By the end of the year last year, my 8th grader was having to copy assignments because there was no more paper for the teachers to make copies.

But instead the biggest focus in this district is the superintendent who wants more and more money every fucking year for himself and his other administrators. We are a third of the size of counties around us but he is making $140,000 a year plus major bonuses such as a $800 a month car allowance. And it's not enough for him. HE wants an 8% raise every year for the next 3 years! It's in his contract that if the teachers get a raise, so does he. How fucked up is that?

So yeah, I put my kids in a charter school. I don't feel bad for doing it. Right now, they can't get much worse than they already have been. But I'll tell you something - my kids are happy this year. They have only been in school for a few days but they are happy. The teachers are all certified and I've met them and they seem eager to teach. They don't look angry and tired because their classes are too big and they don't have the politics in their face every day.

[iconoclastic cat]

6. Don't feel guilty! If your local charter provides a better education,

then by all means, go there! The parts of the charter school movement that are, in my opinion, destructive are things like the negative effects charters have on the funding of the surrounding schools and the lack of accountability. In no way do I fault any parent for providing a better education for their children, however.

The charters in Chicago--with one notable exception--have most definitely not improved the educational possibilities for Chicago's kids. By my observations--and I have been in some of these schools--the charters in Chicago are as chaotic as the neighborhood schools. If your local charter school is superior, go for it.

BTW, I have been hearing what a mess Florida's public schools are. They make Chicago sound like like bloody Yale.

[shraby]

7. What state do you live in?????

I've never heard of such things.

[Katarina]

8. Florida

Where else would this be happening but Florida?