School Reform - Charter & Selective Schools

I have written about the need for keeping neighborhood schools, in this blog, over the past few months. Let me reiterate, closing the doors of a school that has academic problems and opening up a new charter or some sort of selective school doesn't end the existence of various academic concerns and issues.

Economic blight, neighborhood safety, a sense of hopelessness, the absence of family and other factors are reasons why students can, and do, have real academic problems. Unless these are tackled, the accompanying academic problems will persist.

First of all, the research regarding the performance of charters doesn't exactly indicate that they are much more successful than traditional schools.

I know of charter and selective schools that essentially skim the better performing students from traditional public schools. This isn't a rumor; rather, I have had principals we work with indicate the existence of this practice. I am also familiar with some charter and selective schools allowing fewer Ed. Services students into their ranks than their counterpart traditional public schools. Again, I have had principals inform me of this practice. I am sure many people aren't aware of the existence of such harmful practices.

Some charter and selective schools limit educational opportunities. They may offer few, or no, Home Economic, Art and Music courses. Some of these schools offer fewer athletic and activity programs. Of course, some people would say that's their choice. Ah, there's the rub...they get to play by their own rules.

Don't be misled, elective courses (as you know, I dislike this term), athletics and activities play an important role in the education of children. These programs shouldn't be dropped or limited to the point where a student doesn't have the opportunity to grow by being fully engaged in these curricula.

The above practices, on the part of some charter and selective schools, aren't the type of school reform that I see as aiding in stimulating the growth of a student. There are other ways of tackling learning problems and schools that are struggling rather than shutting them down and instituting some of the harmful practices that I have just alluded to.

By the way, I see the establishment of charter and selective schools, in a larger sense, as part of the current movement of various local and state governments making a concerted effort to get rid of their traditional duties and services. Such agencies are looking to the private sector to run what, up to this point in time, has been public education. I don't see this as a positive move.

Thanks,
Dick