Edushyster has done it again.
He or she has identified the schools in Massachusetts with the highest suspension rates. Almost all are charters.
This is not what you would normally think was a funny topic, but read it to the end and see what you think.
Frankly, no one is better at puncturing charter school myths and pomposity than Edushyster.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
On Thursday, I received a new student from a local charter school. I had his mom in grade 6 (Yes. I’ve been around for awhile!) and his older sister in grade 5. Mom said he hated the charter school and started hating school. She wanted him to have an education like she and her daughter did. When I asked what the problem was she said, “Too many new teachers coming and going, a clueless principal who fluctuated on everything, too much testing and no music and art.” I guess the beginning of October is “cleaning house” month as my school has registered 3 more students from various local charter school just this last week alone. Good for us. Maybe then our population will warrant one of our excessed teachers back!
But does the money come back with them or does the charter keep the student long enough for the enrollment numbers and then they keeps the per pupil expenditure? One would think it should be pro rated and when the students leaves, and MANY do, the dollars should follow. Hmmmm?
Good question Linda! I will check on Tuesday!
Edushyster has a great way of informing and entertaining at the same time.
#1 Roxbury Prep was started by the Commissioner of Education in NYS, John King. There was a study of charter school chains like Uncommon Schools (Roxbury Prep) last year. The ONLY significant factor associated with higher achievement was discipline.
You will both enjoy this. The #1 school for suspensions in Mass. Is the school John King started
Burris from my iPad
This is your state commissioner and is it true he doesn’t even send his kids to public school?
Yes he is the commissioner. I do not know where his kids go to school.
There was a post in reference to opting out in NY. The blogger mentioned King’s kids would not be tested because they attend private school. If it is true, I don’t know how one could be the leader of a state’s public school system and not enroll his children in those schools. Do as I say, not as I do.
I think it is very telling… if you do not believe in public schooling, you would not send your students to a public school
Montessori:
http://perdidostreetschool.blogspot.com/2012/09/nysed-commissioner-king-education.html
Linda – thanks for finding that. Isn’t it astounding that rheeformer after rheeformer is found sending his/her kids to a progressive type of school which doesn’t use standardized testing and which offers a a full, rich curriculum including arts and P.E.? There seems to be a lot of debate whether the rheeformers are well-intentioned but just misguided, or whether they’re just plain mendacious. Since they clearly know what’s best for their own kids, I think the answer is plain.
If I read correctly this man, this leader for an entire state only taught for three years? Can anyone think of another profession where the leader of an entire industry has very little experience doing the frontline job? And when it is determined there are failures, the leaders never take responsiblity..it is always the workers…even though we follow plan after plan, mandate after mandate, goal after goal, reform after reform, test after test…they change the rules…we follow along….the systems fail and we are to blame and they are off the hook…just keep moving the shells around is what they do best. I am exhausted.
Montessori. He has two young girls.
See these two links…his kids attend a Montessori school:
http://perdidostreetschool.blogspot.com/2012/09/nysed-commissioner-king-education.html
From the NYT article: “Having gone to New York City public schools, that quite literally saved my life,” he said, “I feel an incredible devotion to make that possible for more kids.”
So he does that by starting charter schools?! What about the kids whose parents don’t sign up for the lottery?
Survival of the fittest….each take care of their own while pretending to advocate for the poor brown children. Hypocrites, liars and pretenders. It is group think at its worst.
Hi Diane, As a teacher who worked at the “failing” Gavin Middle School that was changed into UP Academy Charter School (an in-district charter school), I am glad to see these numbers coming out, but wish the Boston Globe would see the light. They and the Boston Foundation cannot stop praising the amazing turnaround UP gas done, even though I am aware of many students who left their first year (SY 2011-12). They were the students who had always stayed at the Gavin because we did not counsel out students. I am pretty sure that Edushyster is hot on the case to fully expose this case, and I really appreciate the both of you keeping up the exposure. I am busy teaching. Thank you, though. Suzie Sent from my iPhone
When you suspend students that often they either become compliant or they leave. It also creates classrooms where there are little if any disruptions. That is why discipline appears to be a significant factor in charter school achievement.
Come to CT…here our charter chain, Achievement First, started by Commissioner Pryor, with no prior teaching experience, has reorientation rooms where the Dean of Culture says: that’s where we “give them the culture they need”.
I’m sure they are proud to be at the top of the suspension list, because it can be touted as evidence of a “no excuses” policy.
How many state commissioners meet the following criteria?
1. Ex-TFA? John White, Louisiana; Kevin Huffman, Tennessee.
2. How many Broad Academy? Chris Cerf, NJ; Deborah Gist, RI;
3. Charter school founders: John King, NY; Stephan Pryor, Conn.
Others?
In Utah, one of the three finalists for state superintendent (ours is retiring) is: Michael Sentance of Concord, Mass., president of education reform strategies at private company The Tribal Group.
I don’t know exactly about this program, but the title makes me nervous. We may have another privitization guy on our hands. Do you know anything about this person or The Tribal Group?
Never heard of it. When I googled, I found nothing but what you wrote here
Diane Ravitch
Title makes me nervous too
Diane Ravitch
Here’s something on Sentance when he was in Kentucky. It’s from 2009. There is a slew of news articles including a few from the NYT. It’s a start. Good luck.
Michael Sentance: Resume and Review
http://theprincipal.blogspot.com/2009/07/michael-sentance-45-bayberry-road.html
The Tribal Group – UK based
http://www.tribalgroup.com/Pages/default.aspx
I share a group with Michael on LinkedIn. This is the information he has listed on his profile.
I hope this helps.
That is a UK version of the Vallas Spinaround group. They are very similar. A step towards privatization and union busting.
http://www.vallasturnaround.com/
Vallas Turnaround System
Focused expertise in 5 core areas:
1. Financial Health and Stability
2. Student-Focused Administration and Operation
3. Superior Instructional Improvement Models
4. World Class Human Resources
5. A Structure for Building Local Capacity
Comprehensive focus:
Academics, Finance and Operations
Notice that he’s never been a teacher or principal, at least not that he’w willing admit. With the union-busting legislators we have, I’ll be that’s the one we get. Yippee!
Gist also spend time in DC at OSSE and attempting to break a kissing record. A bit unseemly.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/18/AR2009021803387.html
Charter Schools are small businesses. Period. Google (now a verb a.k.a. “research”) small business success rates and the number ranges from 30% to 50% in the first five years and within 10 years for those that survive, it’s much lower. Why would charters be any different – they are either small businesses run by inexperienced do-gooders or corporate venture that will go after the first round of downsizing.
This Judy and Mickey “let’s put on a show” concept for the well-intended who want to open a charter is just bogus. Whether it is a true attempt focused on low cognitive achievement in the inner cities or the boutique schools, the majority will fail (not should fail – will fail). Everything from disinterest to mismanagement to embezzlement is the story of too many charters already – not to mention shuffling kids like widgets.
So – logically – there is an onslaught of CORPORATE backed charters – I am still surprised McDonalds didn’t have the foresight to do this decades ago. They already had the business model. Anyway – the corporate folks sink millions in charters because they can tell their friends at cocktail parties how they are helping poor kids – and they hold kids back by only scripting lessons for TFAers to teach the basics (how else do you continue to oppress a generation)?
Of course suspensions skyrocket and students with disabilities are counseled out – why would any business use a model that would get them bad ratings and reviews.
And, imagine any of this with R & R at the helm.