The big Jeb Bush charter school lie: How Florida became a cautionary tale for the rest of the countr

The big Jeb Bush charter school lie: How Florida became a cautionary tale for the rest of the country

by Jeff Bryant, AlterNet, Salon

http://www.salon.com/2015/08/12/the_big_jeb_bush_charter_school_lie_how_florida_became_a_cautionary_tale_for_the_rest_of_the_country_partner/

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In Florida, charter proponents like to point to charter chains that are “high performing,” a designation from the state that by and large refers to a school’s ability to maintain high scores on state standardized tests and stay out of “financial emergency.” But because charter schools are allowed to forego many requirements imposed on public school — including requirements governing personnel, physical plant, transportation and geographic location — they are also afforded more ample leeway to game the system in ways that ensure they maintain high test scores without necessarily improving educational practices.

Kevin Welner of the National Education Policy Center has documented 12 ways charter schools influence their student enrollments in ways that ensure their test scores remain high. Among the methods Welner cites are charter schools using their application processes, geographic location, and student retention practices to ensure they serve fewer at-risk and special-needs students.

Furthermore, any discussion about charter school results needs to consider whether the purpose of charter schools is to obtain better results for a few students or whether the purpose of charter schools is to help improve the public education system overall, so all students are doing better.

No doubt there are examples of good charter schools and students who have benefitted from attending them. But any argument that Florida’s whole education system been improved by introducing more charter schools is tenuous at best.




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