Bruce Baker has studied Newark charters repeatedly. As he shows in this post, their greatest success is their ability to skim the students who are most likely to succeed. Some if his findings about their academic growth–or lack thereof-may surprise you.
Charters are parasites, he concludes, that harm their host. Making the entire district charter does not change that:
“But sadly, those who most vociferously favor charter expansion as a key element of supposed “portfolio” models of schooling appear entirely uninterested in mitigating parasitic activity (that which achieves the parasites goal at the expense of the host. e.g. parasitic rather than symbiotic). Rather, they fallaciously argue that an organism consisting entirely of potential parasites is itself, the optimal form. That the good host is one that relinquishes? (WTF?) As if somehow, the damaging effects of skimming and selective attrition might be lessened or cease to exist if the entirety of cities such as Newark were served only by charter schools. Such an assertion is not merely suspect, it’s absurd.”
Diane Ravitch's blog 
As I noted in the comments section of my own post:
So then, imagine if you will, an entire district of North Stars? Or an entire district of those who strive to achieve the same public accolades of North Star? That would sure work well from a public policy standpoint. They’d be in constant bitter battle over who could get by with the fewest of the lowest income kids. Anyone who couldn’t “cut it” in 5th or 6th grade, along with each and every child with a disability other than speech impairment would dumped out on the streets of Newark. Even after the rather significant front end sorting, we’d be looking at 45% citywide graduation rates – actually – likely much lower than that because some of the aspiring North Star’s would have to take students even less likely to complete under their preferred model.
Yes, there would probably eventually be some “market segmentation” – special schools for the kids brushed off to begin with – and special schools for those shed later on. But, under current accountability policies, those “special schools” would be closed and reconstituted every few years or so since they won’t be able to post the requisite gains. Sounds like one hell of a “system of great schools,” doesn’t it.
To the extent we avoid changing the incentive structure & accountability system, the tendency to act parasitic rather than in a more beneficial relationship will dominate. The current system is driven by the need to post good numbers – good “reported” numbers. NJ has created a reporting system that allows North Star to post a 100% grad rate and .3% dropout rate despite completing less than 50% of their 5th graders.
What do they get for this? Broad awards, accolades from NJDOE… the opportunity to run their own graduate school to train teachers in their stellar methods… (&, as I understand it, consulting contracts to train teachers from other districts in their methods).
A major problem here is that the incentive structure, the accountability measures, and system as it stands favor taking the parasitic path to results.
That said, in my view, it takes morally compromised leadership to rationalize taking this to the extent that North Star has. TEAM, for example, exists under the very same accountability structures. And while TEAM does its own share of skimming and shedding, it’s no North Star.
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“. . . morally compromised leadership. . . ”
Bruce, your being kind with those words. I can think of many stronger phrases that perhaps more accurately describes the edudeformers.
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The old Tammany Hall comes to mind as does an image of Bernie Madoff. Perhaps he is their adviser. I know they swoon over Michael Milken, who should still be in jail. It is ironic that there is still a Tweed Hall in New York. Here in Clark County, Nevada, the district just gave Edison millions and renewed their charters despite the fact they have the 6 lowest performing schools in the district. I am not advocating their use of testing, but it is our enemy’s chosen weapon, they don’t measure up. Just as they took over based on these spurious faulty measures, so they should be closed. Parasites indeed!
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“I am not advocating their use of testing, but it is our enemy’s chosen weapon, they don’t measure up.” Love this line.
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This example just shows how corrupt, Orwellian wordspeak the whole thing is. Total losers and they win the award of winners. That’s Amerika today. Why is it that we reward the worst of the bunch here? Why are they reelected? Why are they not prosecuted as concerning the child abuse laws? I mean administrators.
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I just went through the highlighted parts which are detailed and what a terrific job on the charts and information. Inside of that was the suspension rates. How does it go from about 140/school to 0? Something wrong as is pointed out in the detailed charts. Fantastic work.
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