Local: School is still out on charter schools
I see from tomorrow’s Word on the Street column that Peoria City Councilman Jim Montelongo is eager to get the city government involved in efforts to create charter schools in Peoria. Failing that, at least get the council to endorse the idea.
On one hand, I’d like to see the city take a more active role in running the schools, but given the sentiment of the current council, that won’t happen. And I certainly believe that there needs to be more accountability, and the current system afford voters few opportunities to make change.
But I am not convinced that charter schools are the answer. I went looking for articles, and I found a transcript of a discussion on the Jim Lehrer NewsHour in which the value of charter schools is questioned. It seems that once other factors are taken into consideration, there’s no indication that the results are any better than ordinary public schools (I note that this segment is from August 2004).
And then there’s a 2006 article from the New York Times that also questions the effectiveness of charter schools.
Still charter schools seem to afford parents greater control, demand more accountability and supposedly lets educators avoid a lot of red tape.
I remain unconvinced. One of the allures of charter schools is that some people really want to get rid of teachers’ unions, and charters might let that happen. Well, Edison Schools didn’t have to worry about teacher contracts, and they haven’t shown us anything exceptional in the area of student achievement.
District 150 has tried a lot of other stuff too. They seem to be jumping on one fad after another, and not really sticking with anything. One day they are convinced that a park-like campus setting absolutely necessary. Why? Because kids need to learn about nature. Or they want to cut hours out of the school day so teachers can make lesson plans together.
The last thing the school board seems willing or able to try are those things parents seem to want: Better and more discipline, longer school days and a longer school year and more arts and music. Charter schools aren’t necessary to get these things, and there’s no guarantee that the people chosen to run any new charter school won’t be just as enchanted with shiny new fads and nifty new theories and research as the the people running the schools now.
August 11th, 2008 at 8:29 am
I like the idea. Choice=good
August 11th, 2008 at 1:55 pm
And yet in Chicago, where Charter Schools are the most active here in Illinois, EVERY charter school is superior to every neighboring school. They draw from the same student population (no cherry picking students) and on every measurable score, beat the regular public schools in proximity to them. Its hard to argue that if the parents were as involved in the traditional public schools as they are in the Charter schools, their child’s performance would not be improved, but the facts speak for themselves. I urge you to visit a Charter school, talk to the students, parents and teachers before dismissing the idea. (disclosure, one of my clients is the Illinois Network of Charter Schools, the advocacy arm of the Charter movement here in Illinois, however, I am not involved in the efforts here locally.)
August 11th, 2008 at 4:09 pm
My oldest attended a charter school in Wisconsin prior to our move here. Charter school law in Wisconsin is different than in Illinois; the schools are still managed by the school district, but there is a board of directors who handle the decision making. Teachers are still part of a union, benefits, etc… The charter school experience was wonderful. I wish there was something similar around here.
August 11th, 2008 at 10:32 pm
Billy, any sense of how serious Montelango is about this?
August 12th, 2008 at 12:12 am
I do not know, Diane. Montelongo is in the book. Why don’t you give him a call and chat?
August 12th, 2008 at 9:13 am
As a matter of fact I think I will. Thanks
August 12th, 2008 at 10:57 am
I actually agree with Diane, if only a bit. Choice is good. Allowing charter schools does seem to work well in some situations.
Is it the silver bullet for D150s problems? Hells no! There is no silver bullet in life – for any of us, for any problem.
Charter schools come with complications – they have to be administrated and regulated just like any other school. It is complicated as all get out.
Also, running an educational institution is not ever going to be a for-profit venture, and that comes with all kinds of problems too. Some how, some way – ALL SCHOOLS need community or government support with MONEY. And nobody wants to give that up, if they even have any in the first place. So when you allow charter schools, you’re essentially dividing up the same pie of money for education into smaller pieces. It’s tricky.
District 150 is NOT where the money people live. So many people who can afford to get out of District 150. Most of the parents whose kids are in 150 are working, both parents – and don’t have a lot of time to get involved. Not that at some level they shouldn’t be – it’s just harder for them. The stay at home moms that dominate other districts – I’m in IVC 321 and as a working mom I find myself in a minority usually – have more time to volunteer and help out the school, relieving the pressure on administrators and teachers to provide the same experience.
There are so many facets to this argument – so, so many. Should 150/Peoria allow charter schools? sure, probably. Some – but model on successful ventures in similarly sized places (not like Chicago, totally different infrastructure and population there). And don’t treat it like they have been, as Billy said, like the latest fad. There’s far too much of that already.
My big concern – the city/district will give the go-ahead for charter schools and they’ll all end up out where the good schools already are. They’ll let the fancy new digs at places like Peoria Academy and Northminster Presbyterian go in as charter schools. Not to dis either of those schools – they may be excellent places – but they aren’t going to help kids in Central and South Peoria, the ones who are suffering because their schools are so bad. Children in Central and South Peoria can’t go to Peoria Academy and Northminster because they’re too far away, they’d have to be bussed or driven, something their parents or the district can hardly afford.
August 16th, 2008 at 11:25 pm
“I actually agree with Diane, if only a bit. ”
What’s up with the use of the word, “actually”. Is it that surprising we agree?