New York State has this really big idea. It will spend $4.5 million so that top charter schools can teach ordinary public schools how to succeed.
What secrets will the charter schools share with the less fortunate, less successful neighborhood public schools?
Consider the example in the article linked here by Ben Chapman in The Daily News.
The Bronx Charter School for Excellence will help nearby Public School 85. “More than 86% of students… passed state reading exams in 2012, compared with just over 20% of students who met literacy standards at PS 85.” On the other hand, PS 85 has a devoted parent body, and it can help the charter school develop the same community support.
But there is more to the story, which did not get into the article.
I asked my favorite statistical miracle-buster, Gary Rubinstein, to check the demographics on the two schools and here is his report:
“I collected some data here http://miracleschools.wikispaces.com/Bronx+Charter+School+For+Excellence
“Most relevant stats for students taking ELA test:
Excellence
263 students taking ELA exam
36 with disabilities (14%)
3 LEP (1%)
207 economically disadvantaged (79%)
“Compared to PS 85 (from district 10, not 8)
531 students
142 with disabilities (27%)
165 LEP (31%)
511 economically disadvantaged (96%)”
The NYC progress reports say this about the two schools:
“Excellence:
10% disabilities, 87% black or hispanic, 5% ELL
86% passing ELA, 95% passing math
progress report grades: C in ‘progress’, ‘A’ overall
PS 85:
24% disabilities, 98% black or hispanic, 26% ELL
20% passing ELA, 31% passing math
progress report grades: B in ‘progress’, ‘B’ overall”
So the public school has about twice as many students with disabilities as the charter school (and we can’t tell how severe the disabilities are, whether they are mild or extreme from this data; some of the most successful charters accept students with only the mildest disabilities).
And of the students who took the reading test, 31% at the public school were English language learners, compared to only 1% at the charter school.
The lessons for PS 85 are obvious: Do not accept students who can’t read English and limit the enrollment of students with disabilities.
But if PS 85 learns that lesson, where will those children go to school?
Diane Ravitch's blog 
What a waste of 4.5 million when we already know the answer.
Build up school libraries in these schools instead.
AMEN! A simple solution,
Click to access CC0211Presidents.pdf
Public and School Libraries in Decline: When We Need Them
What will this charter school teach this public school? This came out of a colleague’s mouth years ago. “don’t let the TRUTH get in the way of a good story.” 😦
My comment on RTNEWS and Larry Kings interview with Michelle Rhee.
Joseph 06.08.2013 12:28
It is sad that Larry chose someone who was embroiled in a testing scandal while in DC to make her schools look good. Ms. Rhee has no real experience as a teacher and is supported by companies that look to capitalize on education. Big money brought her onto Larry King. Ms. Rhee is unpopular with teachers and academics. It’s hard to believe that this interview is on RT News. Larry King’s show has been disappointing in many episodes that have questionable social relevance.
Why did PS 85 agree to this? There has to be a backstory somewhere
Maybe to finally prove the point? It certainly is a major waste of money, but sometimes when the powers that be won’t listen, you just have to let them see for themselves what you already know is true.
How about giving that school the 4,5 million and letting the school decide what to do with it? What could be frustrating is, the charter will come in, suggest changes the teacher have been asking for all along and be seen as the hero.
I speak to parents of charter students in my town. They claim they have these great ideas. When I ask them if their practices will work with 25 instead of 15 students, with half of those 25 not speaking English, with 50% of free.reduced lunch instead of 3%, the conversation ends with them telling me they wish my school could have a class size of 15.
Public schools could have lower class sizes if we, as a society, are willing to pay enough. The Brookings institute estimates that lowering the class size by one student will cost about 12 billion dollars in additional salaries. Add in an increase in the number of classrooms, back office staff, benefits, etc. and it is probably a good deal higher than the 12 billion.
Do you think those parent who won the golden tickets to the charters in my town will sign up for an increase in taxes so all schools can have a class size of 15?
Do these “golden ticket” winners constitute a majority of your local voters?
The whole idea is to privatize. Of course that $4.5 million could have gone to schools. But that’s not the agenda here.
That’s a valid point, TE
My point is the charter parents in my town never mention the need for more $ if all public schools could adopt the best practices of their charter schools. I have parents tell me that class size will drop everywhere as more charters come on board. They don’t consider that schools will be closed as capacity goes down.
Will the reformers promote increase spending if the best practices prove more $ is needed?
I have to take exception to the statement that charter school parents don’t think public schools use best practices. We do. It’s the other factors mentioned in Diane’s post that are the cause of their “better scores’. But let’s also remember charters counsel out students they don’t think will score well.
Perhaps if all the taxpayer dollars that are now going to charters were instead put into the public schools, it will bring down class sizes without breaking the budget. Both Federal and State dollars are promoting charters as well as Common Core which is estimated at over a billion per state. Then there are the contracts for TFA. The money is truly there for public schools once you stop paying for all the consultants, charters, testing companies, etc. that promote privatization.
A smaller class size would not be considered a best practice?
PS 85 must be getting paid to participate.
Of course! Thanks, Diane.
I can’t imagine a school signing up for this. I would think this would come down from Walcott. But why is there even money for a “grant” like this? Why is the State funding it?
This will be nothing more than a foot in the door for these charters. It’s a way to get parents indoctrinated on the State’s dime. I feel horrible for the teachers. This is a slap in their faces.
Cripes!
I thought the whole point of charter schools was to be a testing ground for new ideas. Shouldn’t we expect that charters would share their practices with public schools. I have asked repeatedly in my town how and when the exchange of ideas between charters and traditional public schools takes place and never get an answer.
I don’t see this as a total negative (although the amount of money is sickening). Maybe this will be a first step in showing the obvious to the folks in charge. I hope everything is documented and a follow up study is conducted.
Actually it could in many instances be the other way around. Charters can learn from traditional schools in many areas (ELL, speial ed, creativity, project based learning, behavior management techiniques that are not punitive) or share ideas, but that doesn’t benefit the current corporate non educator profit driven scam we are currently battling.
If charter schools were supposed to be testing ground for innovations in education, then let’s see them implement their programs in traditional public schools. If they can’t do it or the programs don’t work then we should argue that charters are not making a lasting impact on the population as a whole. Instead of complaining about the program, hold the charter accountable for creating programs that don’t work outside their own school.
Instead of seeing this as a negative, use it as a true test if charters are worth it. In a way if we don’t allow charters to test their (supposedly) innovated teaching practices with the traditional population, we are letting them off the hook.
Is the following a fair analogy? The charter school football team can select the best players, and those who don’t contribute to the scoring can be cut from the team. The public school football team must accept every person who wants to play on to its roster and is not allowed to cut ineffective players from the team for games and must play every student. What part of the situational assumption am I missing here?
No. And if you have to ask what is missing…well then you are truly clueless about the issues being discussed on this blog.
This was supposed to happen in Syracuse, coincidentally in the school where the Broad trained superintendent’s relative is attending, but for some reason, the district did not get the grant. I feel soooo bad.
What they will share is probably what public schools used to be able to do. Good discipline, homework, demand good work, give grades, etc. I can’t wait to see this. More money gone to waste that could help students.