What a Business!
The stateof Indiana shells out millions of dollars to virtual charter schools that educate no one.
Even Republican legislators thank this this could be a waste of taxpayers’ dollars.
“Top state education leaders called it a “scandal” and “serious” that two Indiana virtual charter schools are accused of counting toward their enrollment thousands of students who either never signed up for or completed classes.
“This should be a massive alarm bell that outright fraud has been committed against Hoosier taxpayers to the tune of millions of dollars,” said Gordon Hendry, a state board of education member who led a committee last year to review virtual schools. “If this isn’t a scandal, I don’t know what is.”
“The harsh words came a day after Indiana Virtual School and its sister school, Indiana Virtual Pathways Academy, were put on notice that their charter agreements could be revoked by their oversight agency, the small rural Daleville public school district. The virtual schools, which purported to educate about 6,000 students, could close if they do not find another authorizer to oversee them….
“The state data paint the scope of the issues at the schools as vast. Last spring, none of the 1,563 students reported as attending Indiana Virtual Pathways Academy for the full year were enrolled in any classes, according to the data analyzed by the district. That year, the school received $17 million from the state.
“In fall 2016, none of the 2,372 students reported as attending Indiana Virtual School for the full year earned any credits, according to the district’s analysis. That year, one out of five students enrolled all year were never signed up for any classes. In each semester of the 2017-18 school year, the majority of students reported as attending the school for the full year did not earn any credits. Nearly 60 percent earned zero credits at the end of the year — a year in which the school received $20 million in state funding.”
Despite the waste of state dollars, some choice advocates defended the fraud, because the virtual schools are a choice that parents make even if their children don’t get an education.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
“Last spring, none of the 1,563 students reported as attending Indiana Virtual Pathways Academy for the full year were enrolled in any classes, according to the data analyzed by the district. ”
So, where were they? Doesn’t this call Indiana’s whole data collection and reporting into question?
Should anyone trust any education number they come up with?
Are they uncounted drop outs? Does anyone know?
Someone should look at Florida. I bet their number are invented too. They’re as deregulated and privatized as Indiana.
Not sure what comes next. Two things I have observed. Trumps’s approval numbers are higher……if only white people were polled, a majority of the nation believes he is not mentally ill. In a related development…….an unbelievable number of people believe that charter schools, as long as they are contributing to the destruction of public education are just fine.
Joe, that’s not what I see about charter schools. There is a growing backlash against them. They have not kept their promises. Not one.
Slight correction: they’ve educated us a great deal. It’s just that they wish no one paid attention to those lessons.
There has been study after study showing that students aren’t benefiting from these garbage online classes.
At what point do ed reformers like Jeb Bush admit THEY SOLD this crap all over the country and it harms students?
It was ALWAYS a way to cut costs, which is why it was sold so heavily in middle and low income districts. At what point do all the fancy people who sold this to gullible state politicians and school districts admit they were wrong?
Maine dumped it. That should give other states courage to resist the ed reform hard sell and send these snake oil salesmen packing. Don’t buy. Say “no”.
Jeb Bush collects millions from tech companies to sell this garbage.
He was the commencement speaker at the fraudulent Ohio virtual charter school ECOT in 2010.
What Diane said. We already know, no one who sells this stuff is concerned with its educational merit. As to “gullible” state politicians and school districts who buy it: follow the money.
Would you expect “real” results from a “virtual” school?
“Virtually real”
Real results
From virtual school?
Cargo cults
Are general rule
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cargo_cult
“The Core-go Cult”
The Core-go Cult
Is Common Core
It’s taken holt
With Coleman lore
The Core-go Cult
Is Test and VAM
And public solt
A charter sham
The Core-go Cult
Is VAMboo tower
Cash ‘n’ bolt
And blunder shower
The Core-go Cult
Is teachers “jailed”
And public tolt
That schools have failed
The Core-go Cult
Is edu-tech
It’s hedge-fund golt
And edu-wreck
The Core-go Cult
Ain’t science based
But born of dolt
And truth erased
Reblogged this on Crazy Normal – the Classroom Exposé and commented:
The only fraud bigger than Indiana’s online charter schools is Donald Trump.
Don’t forget Ohio where the citizens can’t even trust the GOP politicians to get restitution from charters who bilk taxpayers.
Does Fordham Institute take ownership?
In Ohio, we don’t trust ’em, we promote them with the aid and acquiesent incompetence of an impotent state Democratic Party. Fordham just laughs along the way…as you, Linda, and I scream our primal screams.
Greg,
Opponents of Gates and Arnold, like you and me, don’t waste time on primal screams, we fight back in every way we can.
A primal scream is a way of blowing off steam.
Waste of energy.
Put it to gooduse.
Agitate, educate, organize.
The crimes go so deep. Makes me ill.
So let’s just do away with compulsory education. It’s apparently dead, along with the heads of whoever defends virtual school. They are virtually dead to data or public comment or common sense.
Republicans are not interested in educating our children. They merely want to enrich their wealthy donors who line their pockets with tax dollars. The dumbing down of America works for them at the ballot box.
“Lawmakers defend the bills by saying they’ve been hesitant to impose more stringent rules on virtual charter schools because they don’t want to hamper Indiana families’ ability to choose a school.” These idiots in Indianapolis think it’s okay for parents to choose a school that teaches NOTHING but takes in millions of taxpayer dollars? No wonder this state never improves. We elect people who don’t have brains.
Senator Niemeyer: A BALANCED BUDGET. Responsible government means making tough choices and spending within your means. This session, I am working to pass another two-year state budget that funds priorities and protects reserves.
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Why critics say Indiana isn’t going far enough to address online schools’ biggest problems
…Both the House and Senate bills would require students at virtual charters and district-run online schools to complete an orientation before enrolling, and they also would change state law to prohibit school districts, like Daleville, from being virtual charter school authorizers. Under the Senate bill, virtual charter networks would not be allowed to transfer students between schools during the same school year. The House bill would allow virtual schools to expel students who are too frequently absent and order that virtual school teachers complete the same required training as traditional school teachers.
Lawmakers defend the bills by saying they’ve been hesitant to impose more stringent rules on virtual charter schools because they don’t want to hamper Indiana families’ ability to choose a school. Advocates, though, are concerned that while those measures make progress, they don’t make sweeping changes that would have caught the problems revealed last week.
The bills wouldn’t require the schools, for instance, to hire more teachers, or put in explicit consequences for when schools earn multiple F grades or students don’t attend school and earn credits. And the bills don’t force virtual schools or their authorizers to squarely face their largest problems: unchecked growth in a system where schools collect more money for every student they enroll. Measures that would slow down virtual schools’ growth or hit their bottom line are more effective ways to enable and encourage them to improve, Ziebarth said…
https://chalkbeat.org/posts/in/2019/03/05/why-critics-say-indiana-isnt-going-far-enough-to-address-online-schools-biggest-problems/?utm_source=email_button
Diane, I sent this blog article, with a comment by me, to Senator Niemeyer [R-IN]. I just got this comment back:
Dear Carol,
Thank you for your recent email concerning virtual charter schools in the State of Indiana. I appreciate you taking the time to write me about an issue that is important to you
HB 1172 would create new requirements for virtual charter schools and would not allow the creation of new virtual charter schools after June 30, 2019. HB 1172 was passed by the House of Representatives and will now be considered by the Senate. As the 2019 legislative session proceeds, rest assured that if HB 1172 comes before the full Senate, I will certainly keep your thoughts in mind.
You can find the full text of HB 1172 and relevant information at https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2019/bills/house/1172#document-9914dccf.
Again, thank you for sharing your views with me. Please feel free to email me or call my office at (317) 232-9489 with any future questions.
Sincerely,
Senator Rick Niemeyer
Indiana State Senate
I just got this email from my [UGH!] Senator Todd Young [R-IN] He is a Trump sycophant and knows nothing about education. How happy it makes me to know that, “It is an honor to represent you in the US Senate”. Barf.
…………………….
Senator Todd Young
5:19 PM (3 minutes ago)
Dear Ms. Ring,
Sincerely,
Todd Young
United States Senator