Except in Jacksonville, we haven't met a charter we didn't like.
From the Orlando Sentinel's school zone
by Lauren Roth
Later this month the Orange school board plans to vote up or down on the last four of 23 charter applications for fall 2012.
Even if some or all of those applications are approved, most of the original 23 will have failed or been withdrawn. So far, the school board has rejected 8 applications. Nine have been withdrawn, a frequent consequence after applicants realize their plan is likely to fall short. Two were approved (Orlando Science Elementary and Mavericks High). Only the four set to be considered Dec. 13 remain. They are Sunshine High School for Accelerated Learning – Greater Orlando Campus, Pinecrest Creek Academy, Somerset Virtual Academy and Somerset Virtual Academy Charter Middle/High School. (The first is from the company that runs Aloma, Chancery and Sheeler high schools, the rest would be managed by Academica).
The newfound caution in approving charters appears to be a result of a bad year for charters in Orange County.
Imani Elementary Charter Academy was shut down by the board last spring after numerous problems were uncovered in their governance, finances and academic performance. Over the summer the board closed the last remaining location of Summit Charter School for financial mismanagement. And at the same meeting, the board accepted the voluntary closure of DaVinci Charter School, which had managed to attract only a dozen students.
At the hearings for this year’s charter applications, board chairman Bill Sublette asked each applicant to accept accountability measures in their contracts. Most agreed, but district staff recommended rejecting most applicants for having low standards, inadequate financial checks or a weak governing structure, frequent problems in schools that fail.
http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/news_education_edblog/2011/12/orange-set-to-reject-most-charter-applications-for-2012.html
Frank Biden, brother of Vice President Biden, is the top dog at Mavericks High School, a virtual school for at risk teens and dropouts.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading a number of articles and reviews from other sites, it seems as charter schools are being discredited, so what's the deal with that. Personally, I think it's the public school system who are loosing the battle.
ReplyDeleteThe public school system has been way to comfortable for many years sitting on a monopoly of education, but now there is competition. Wake up everyone, the same thing that happened to the Bell the phone company is now happening to the public school system. Once you open the market to competition you get better and efficient services that changes the whole ball game. If public schools had their shit together then charter schools wouldn't be gaining popularity or would they even be around in the first place, it's a big wake up call. They really need to restructure their teaching techniques for every student or they may close up shop. If public schools would operate like a business for profit, maybe then the average teacher will get their ass kicked for not performing and graduating a higher percentage of students.
Bottom Line: It doesn't matter through what educational system students use to get their diploma as long as each student is educated at a level they can grasp for a promising future and not end up behind bars cause they mugged your Ass.