Betsy DeVos founded, funded, and led (until she became Secretary of Education) the American Federation for Children, which advocates for vouchers and every form of school choice, including charters. AFC recently published a comprehensive guide to private choice programs (including charters), and Peter Greene found that the information was surprisingly useful.He did, however, note that the report presented a skewed view of voucher research by ignoring the recent studies that concluded that vouchers have a negative effect on students who use them.
He reviews the charts and graphs and then comes to what he calls “the fun part.”
“Myths and Facts
“Oh, these are my favorite. This is the part where reformsters say, “Look, here’s a mean thing that people are saying about us, but nanny nanny boo boo to them.” It’s also where we find out what they think their vulnerabilities and strengths are, and where they try to steer the discussion. All fun stuff.”
This is a good read.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Reblogged this on David R. Taylor-Thoughts on Education.
LikeLike
“Myth #4: School choice is anti-public school.”
That’s not a myth at all. The ed reform narrative is overwhelmingly negative towards public schools. Read any of their sites or lobbyists. If public schools are mentioned at all (they’re often completely ignored) it is ONLY for negative comparisons to charter and private schools.
I actually think it’s why they’re struggling politically. They offer absolutely nothing positive or of value to public school students or parents.
When is the last time you read about some positive initiative or program that is relevant to PUBLIC schools coming out of this echo chamber? I can’t think of a single example in Ohio.
This isn’t subtle. DeVos takes it one step further- she bashes public school students- she depicts our kids as low performing violent bullies where people have to enroll in private schools so their kids won’t be around our kids. It’s absolutely appalling. It was bad enough when they were all lobbying against the schools most kids attend- now they actually lobby against the students.
LikeLike
Here’s DeVos speaking to the echo chamber, with a marketing message that is 100% negative towards public schools:
And we’re talking about kids like Orlando, from the Florida town whose name he shares. Orlando was born with an innate passion for aviation, and from age 6 knew he wanted to be a pilot. However, his life’s circumstances started stacking up against him.
Shortly after he was born, Orlando’s mother suffered a stroke that left her totally disabled, and as a young grade-schooler, Orlando’s father went to prison. In addition to the challenges at home, Orlando eventually struggled at school, too.
He fell in with a group known as “the little hoodlums.” His grades slipped and he nearly failed his junior year. Looking back, he saw himself headed down the same path as his father.
“I never wanted to be that guy,” Orlando said, “but you can see the little things that lead to someone making the wrong decision or getting arrested one day.”
He saw his dream of becoming a pilot, evaporating. “I started looking at the financial requirements and grade requirements, and I was like, ‘Yeah, I’m not going to make it,'” he said. “My mom is disabled. My father was in prison. So I was like, ‘I don’t have any help. This isn’t going to happen.'”
But Orlando did have help. And it came in the form of the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship and a devoted and caring teacher, Mr. Nieves, who helped Orlando find it.
Through the scholarship, Orlando was able to attend a school that met his individual needs. And as Orlando tells it, everything was different from Day One. “The teachers cared for me and made sure I stayed on top of my work,” Orlando said.
All of her stories are like that- uncaring public schools full of hoodlums and low performers contrasted with magical private or charter schools, where children escape those icky public school students.
She demeans and insults public school students, which is really a new low in ed reform political campaigns. Anything to achieve their ideological objectives, I guess, but why are we paying “public servants” to spout this garbage? Why do I have to pay for another “public schools suck!” campaign tour? Is this what we’re paying the US Department of Education for? So they can bash public schools and public school students?
LikeLiked by 1 person
The most essential change needed with finding, supporting and then voting for truly progressive candidates: currently many legislators on both sides of the political isle honestly believe that public schools are filled with despair and unteachable children
LikeLike
Here’s a typical ed reform promotion and marketing piece on “personalized learning”:
“Ride the elevator up to the eighth floor of a loft-like office building in the heart of Brooklyn’s DUMBO neighborhood, and you’ll find a thriving education technology startup called Amplify on track to book $125 million in 2018 revenue. In one room, a team develops a computer science challenge involving coral reefs in Hawaii. In another, a product manager demos a reading lesson involving a teen rebel in a dystopian graphic novel. Brad Powell, managing director for investments at Emerson Collective, the Laurene Powell Jobs-founded philanthropic organization that is Amplify’s majority owner, credits the company with doing an “outstanding” job as it has grown to serve 4 million students.”
https://www.fastcompany.com/90207561/amplify-education-gets-a-new-lease-on-life-this-time-from-a-nonprofit
These fawning reviews sucking up to whichever the fashionable billionaire is this week are marketing. They are selling product.
LikeLike
Ed reformers have decided the most pressing issue facing public education today is 1. grade inflation and 2. how to dramatically increase vouchers.
You can read all day among the ed reform faithful and not find a single positive contribution to any public school, anywhere.
There isn’t a single public school student in this country who would notice if all of these people stopped going to work. They’re just completely irrelevant to public schools.
LikeLike
Peter Greene certainly have a high tolerance for wading through the muck. Better you than me, Mr Greene.
LikeLike
Peter Greene does it so we don’t have to.
A public service.
LikeLike
Yep, but he also recommends we read it too – and keep it around for quick reference about which state is doing what on the vouchers – ESA – tax credit scholarship front. In that sense, it’s useful.
I would also suggest we print Greene’s review – discussion and consult it while reading the handbook. It’s equally useful.
LikeLike
Excellent points. I’m saving it to show how few of the eligible students are using vouchers.
LikeLike