Just an hour ago, I posted the story about how officials at the Tennessee Virtual Academy had instructed teachers to delete failing grades, allegedly to show “progress.”
The virtual school, run by the for-profit K12 corporation, is among the lowest-performing schools in the state.
This afternoon a state legislative committee blocked any discussion of the school altering grades and prevented efforts to limit enrollment in the school. Although the legislators refused to hear any reference to the school’s practice of deleting failing grades, they did hear a teacher who claimed that home instruction on a computer was a very positive experience for children with autism.
The legislators gave the virtual school an additional two years with no accountability, despite its poor academic performance.
The school gets about $5,000 per pupil and enrolls more than 3,000 students. It is known for its astute lobbying and well-targeted campaign contributions.
Another step backward for American education.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Lawless times.
Sounds like Texas. Who runs their Virtual Academy? PK12Inc?
That is a favorite Republican technique, cutting off discussion and not letting the other side talk. Another one is not distributing a bill in time for it to be read and digested and keeping committee members late into the night so they cannot think straight. Bobby Jindal’s staff did all these things in order to get his education bills passed. He also made it the FIRST bill for the legislature to deal with when customarily big bills are not dealt with until the little things are taken care of.
This year he plans to eliminate state income tax for individuals and businesses in favor of raising the sales taxes. Of course everyone, even the homeless, pay sales tax, but only the wealthier people pay income tax.
The Michigan legislature did the same thing. What happened to the Republican Party? Everything is done stealthily and in secret.
Same thing that happened to the democraps.
Well, what do you expect? Tennessee elected Campfield too.
I wish I could offer a rebuttal, but all I can do is beat my head on a wall and say “She’s right! She’s right! She’s right!”
“The school gets about $5,000 per pupil and enrolls more than 3,000 students. It is known for its astute lobbying and well-targeted campaign contributions.”
Wow, $15m per year to run a web site for 3000 students. Easy money.
Here in Silicon Valley we have entrepreneurs who work hard to make a product people buy with their own money. In the education “business” they have cronypreneurs who sell to corrupt government officials who have been bought and paid for by billionaires.
That’s $15,000,000 taxpayer dollars?
Can’t the Waltons pick up the tab on this malarky?
“Another step backward for American education.”
How can any sentient, logical citizen think this is okay? Do they not hear the bells and whistles going off? Are they just that unaware of abnormal feelings in the gut area? Where are the checks and balances? The lawsuits? The impeachments? The pitchforks and torches?
Another three steps backward for American politics.
Another ten steps backward for American intelligence.
Question Authority | Start a Movement
This is so outrageous that if it was not real it would be funny.
If you notice many of tennessee’s governors policy ideas about the path of public education, it is a clear attack against educating the public.
In Texas the Virtual Academies get state average allocation per weighted student, in spite of no buildings, buses libraries, counselors, etc. About 10,000 kids enrolled. State GOP calling for even more use of online schools. Unacceptable programs for two years are supposed to be closed. Not these virtual schools. They were allowed to just change their names and keep scamming parents and kids.
The story with virtual charters is the same everywhere they open. They hire lobbyists, make nice political contributions, open an office, enroll thousands of kids with grandiose promises, have a high dropout rate, provide inferior education, make money, recruit more students.
Tennesse parents want good schools, good teachers and quality education. Cheating is not reuired to achieve this! Informed Tennesse parents please email me if you would like to be a guest writer on my blog. http://publicedtn.blogspot.com/.
Corruption sure does run rampant in the world of “reform.”
This is all about stealing money from taxpayers and buying off politicians who will allow the stealing.
This isn’t about education or what’s best for children. This is simply bank robbery on a giant scale.
Of course, if it were just a brick and mortar public school, they would be looking to shut it down based on their low test scores.