Broward County, which already has 99 charter schools, approved an additional 13 new charters. Some of the charters are designed specifically for children with disabilities. Five of the new charters are sponsored by the for-profit, politically connected Charter Schools USA.
Of the 12 new charters that opened this fall, three shuttered within the first month of school. Another closed for earning back-to-back failing grades on the state assessment.
It is the new world of publicly-funded education in Florida. Charters open, charters close. Some get high scores, some get low scores. Parents go shopping for schools the way they shop for shoes or milk.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
This IS “chartered” territory. The statistics are there for any conscientious politician to see. However, money seems to be a stronger incentive for politicians than integrity. The outcome for such ignorance and/or stupidity is breathtaking.
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The politicians in this country are mired in DARK $$$$$. Guess whose brothers live in Flori-duh? GW’s and Biden’s.
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“. . . money seems to be a stronger incentive for politicians than integrity.”
As things have always been, eh!?!?!?!
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Shoes and milk have more quality controls!
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This is so sad on so many levels, these charter schools are really destroying public education!
FYI In Newark today (well Washington) Cami Anderson had Newark parents removed from event she was set to speak at (selling her One Newark Plan). The event was later cancelled. Event was held by AEI
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Link for the AEI event???
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See Newark Students Union Facebook page; NJ Communities United; Bob Braun’s Ledger Facebook page says he’ll be posting on blog Bob Braun’s Ledger
Also article in Wash Post
All best, Duane–Bet your students learn a lot because you’re so witty
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Do you have any more info Veronica?
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Jersey Jazzman posted Thur nite
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Parents shop for district schools, too. Take a look at the difference in housing costs in the zones for PS 282 and PS 321, or in Yonkers and Bronxville. If you don’t have the money to get in, you are out of luck.
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Tim, a big difference is that a public school is the heart of the community, not a consumer good. Whether you live in Brownsville or Bronxville, the public school plays a crucial role for students, families, and communities. The school in Brownsville (Brooklyn), however, was closed by the mayor and charters with no connection to the community were opened. The school in Bronxville was not touched.
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Schools face a choice. If they are the heart of the neighborhood they reinforce the SES segregation in housing. This is what happened with PS 321. If schools try to break out of the SES segregation in housing, they are no longer the center of the neighborhood.
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@teachingeconomist – Not all neighborhoods are heavily segregated. Our neighborhood is quite mixed, but our zoned schools do not reflect that. In part I think the schools could do a better job of welcoming all families. However, it doesn’t help that we had a Success Academy forced on us, which is drawing middle and upper-middle income families away from the zoned schools. As a result, the zoned schools lag behind the gentrification of the neighborhood significantly and have many more poor students of color, who are overrepresented given the racial and SES composition of the neighborhood.
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Beth,
Indeed not all neighborhoods are heavily segregated, but many many are. PS 321 is a good example. This elementary school in Brooklyn is 73% White, less than 10% of the students in the school are eligible for free or reduced price lunch, 12% of students receive special education service, and 1% are ELL. Apparently the last redrawing of the catchment area increased the SES segregation of the school:http://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20121129/park-slope/controversial-rezoning-for-park-slopes-ps-321-approved
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See Newark Students Union Facebook page; NJ Communities United; Bob Braun’s Ledger Facebook page says he’ll be posting on blog Bob Braun’s Ledger.
Also, Jersey Jazzman just posted.
All best, Duane–Bet your students learn a lot because you’re so witty
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