WaPo opinion piece on charters

[Anonymous]

My child is in this situation. I know they use his aide for other classroom help and at first I wasn't sure how I felt about it. But I also know he would not even have an aide at DCPS. The Sped system is broken and I know what the school does may be illegal, but I am happy my son can benefit even if it's this back door channel. Also, aides can vary in quality and education and his aide is amazing in every way. I think the charter is grooming her for a teaching position eventually because she is so awesome, so if I tried to fight against I worry she would be replaced with one who's not as great.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids' charter has added people to the special ed team over the past couple years, so I don't think they're counseling out kids with IEPs but rather they're providing more services. My kid has an IEP and someone I know who works in a DCPS said they were surprised my kid gets what she does because in the DCPS school she probably would not have been given so many minutes/hours of services.

That’s because funding is based on the level of services. More services? Higher needs IEP...more funding. Charters don’t have to share it with central office. They get all the funds. They may, in fact, be making money off of your child.

Wait, so charters are both counseling out kids with IEPs AND trying to make money off them by providing more services? I call BS on this argument both ways.

Funding is done by LEA. Charter schools are their own LEA. This is why they get more money per pupil because they do not have to split the funds for central office. When DCPS receives their funding 40% of it goes to fund central office positions. This doesn't happen in charters. Now charters have to pay for their own service providers, buildings, etc. But if you can get a child and give them 12 hours pull out/inclusion that moves them up to a Level 2 IEP (more funding). You already have the special education staff in place, this isn't costing you any more to give these services. This formula works for a lot of situations. Give a kid a dedicated aide and if the child only partially needs the aide you can use them to help out with other students in the classroom. The funding for the aide comes from the child's funding, but you are using it for gen ed.

It isn't rocket science. Now, the schools that counsel out are more of the KIPP variety which I doubt many here are sending their kids there.

or maybe just maybe ... some charters actually want to support SN kids and realize that more intensive early intervention in PK-K will set a child a child up to learn to read, write, and be in the classroom? the fact that they have this budgetary flexibility makes them seem even better.

Agree. But when you are giving aides out in 3rd, 4th and 5th.....something else is going on. Or you tell a dedicated aide that they will be assigned to other children throughout the day. It's not always about the best interest of the kids. And that goes for BOTH DCPS and Charters.

I don't see any issue with giving out an aide who is also going to help the other kids. How is that not in their best interest to have more adults in the classroom, however it happens? And it sounds better than what we got with our DCPS - the classroom aide basically having to spend a lot of time on my child because of his needs.

Because that is not what the funds are for. If a school wants more aides in the room, fine. But it should not come from a child with an IEP. Dedicated aide means dedicated to a particular student. It doesn’t mean use special education funds to hire another person to rove around in the rooms.

Well that's the kind of rigid thinking I'm glad charters can get around. I don't see any reason with assigning a dedicated aide to a child who needs it, who may also help other kids a little. And the lines aren't that easy to draw - it could be very therapeutic and educationally appropriate for an aide to work with a small group of kids (including the kid with the IEP).

Yes. I’m so glad they can skirt the definition from IDEA.

If this is your big attempt to attack charters -- that they are more generous with aides under IDEA than DCPS -- I think you're failing!

And how is it skirting the definition under the IDEA anyway?

No, they are not more generous with aides. They get the funding and the dedicated aide for a specific student with an IEP and they “share” the aide with the gen ed population rather than having that aide actually be dedicated - which is illegal.

One, I seriously doubt that you're telling the truth.
Two, even if there are some cases where charters are bending the definitions to provide more support to kids who need it, I say bravo. I have zero problem with that.

So fiscal mismanagement and breaking the law are ok with you as long as it’s a charter doing it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids' charter has added people to the special ed team over the past couple years, so I don't think they're counseling out kids with IEPs but rather they're providing more services. My kid has an IEP and someone I know who works in a DCPS said they were surprised my kid gets what she does because in the DCPS school she probably would not have been given so many minutes/hours of services.

That’s because funding is based on the level of services. More services? Higher needs IEP...more funding. Charters don’t have to share it with central office. They get all the funds. They may, in fact, be making money off of your child.

Wait, so charters are both counseling out kids with IEPs AND trying to make money off them by providing more services? I call BS on this argument both ways.

Funding is done by LEA. Charter schools are their own LEA. This is why they get more money per pupil because they do not have to split the funds for central office. When DCPS receives their funding 40% of it goes to fund central office positions. This doesn't happen in charters. Now charters have to pay for their own service providers, buildings, etc. But if you can get a child and give them 12 hours pull out/inclusion that moves them up to a Level 2 IEP (more funding). You already have the special education staff in place, this isn't costing you any more to give these services. This formula works for a lot of situations. Give a kid a dedicated aide and if the child only partially needs the aide you can use them to help out with other students in the classroom. The funding for the aide comes from the child's funding, but you are using it for gen ed.

It isn't rocket science. Now, the schools that counsel out are more of the KIPP variety which I doubt many here are sending their kids there.

or maybe just maybe ... some charters actually want to support SN kids and realize that more intensive early intervention in PK-K will set a child a child up to learn to read, write, and be in the classroom? the fact that they have this budgetary flexibility makes them seem even better.

Agree. But when you are giving aides out in 3rd, 4th and 5th.....something else is going on. Or you tell a dedicated aide that they will be assigned to other children throughout the day. It's not always about the best interest of the kids. And that goes for BOTH DCPS and Charters.

I don't see any issue with giving out an aide who is also going to help the other kids. How is that not in their best interest to have more adults in the classroom, however it happens? And it sounds better than what we got with our DCPS - the classroom aide basically having to spend a lot of time on my child because of his needs.

Because that is not what the funds are for. If a school wants more aides in the room, fine. But it should not come from a child with an IEP. Dedicated aide means dedicated to a particular student. It doesn’t mean use special education funds to hire another person to rove around in the rooms.

Well that's the kind of rigid thinking I'm glad charters can get around. I don't see any reason with assigning a dedicated aide to a child who needs it, who may also help other kids a little. And the lines aren't that easy to draw - it could be very therapeutic and educationally appropriate for an aide to work with a small group of kids (including the kid with the IEP).

Yes. I’m so glad they can skirt the definition from IDEA.

If this is your big attempt to attack charters -- that they are more generous with aides under IDEA than DCPS -- I think you're failing!

And how is it skirting the definition under the IDEA anyway?

No, they are not more generous with aides. They get the funding and the dedicated aide for a specific student with an IEP and they “share” the aide with the gen ed population rather than having that aide actually be dedicated - which is illegal.

One, I seriously doubt that you're telling the truth.
Two, even if there are some cases where charters are bending the definitions to provide more support to kids who need it, I say bravo. I have zero problem with that.

So fiscal mismanagement and breaking the law are ok with you as long as it’s a charter doing it?

I mean, I seriously doubt this is “fiscal mismanagement and breaking the law.” But if I have to chose between my IB DCPS breaking the law by denying IEP services and a charter “breaking the law” to provide MORE services ... I’m gonna go with the charter. But go ahead, your arguments are funny.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids' charter has added people to the special ed team over the past couple years, so I don't think they're counseling out kids with IEPs but rather they're providing more services. My kid has an IEP and someone I know who works in a DCPS said they were surprised my kid gets what she does because in the DCPS school she probably would not have been given so many minutes/hours of services.

That’s because funding is based on the level of services. More services? Higher needs IEP...more funding. Charters don’t have to share it with central office. They get all the funds. They may, in fact, be making money off of your child.

Wait, so charters are both counseling out kids with IEPs AND trying to make money off them by providing more services? I call BS on this argument both ways.

Funding is done by LEA. Charter schools are their own LEA. This is why they get more money per pupil because they do not have to split the funds for central office. When DCPS receives their funding 40% of it goes to fund central office positions. This doesn't happen in charters. Now charters have to pay for their own service providers, buildings, etc. But if you can get a child and give them 12 hours pull out/inclusion that moves them up to a Level 2 IEP (more funding). You already have the special education staff in place, this isn't costing you any more to give these services. This formula works for a lot of situations. Give a kid a dedicated aide and if the child only partially needs the aide you can use them to help out with other students in the classroom. The funding for the aide comes from the child's funding, but you are using it for gen ed.

It isn't rocket science. Now, the schools that counsel out are more of the KIPP variety which I doubt many here are sending their kids there.

or maybe just maybe ... some charters actually want to support SN kids and realize that more intensive early intervention in PK-K will set a child a child up to learn to read, write, and be in the classroom? the fact that they have this budgetary flexibility makes them seem even better.

Agree. But when you are giving aides out in 3rd, 4th and 5th.....something else is going on. Or you tell a dedicated aide that they will be assigned to other children throughout the day. It's not always about the best interest of the kids. And that goes for BOTH DCPS and Charters.

I don't see any issue with giving out an aide who is also going to help the other kids. How is that not in their best interest to have more adults in the classroom, however it happens? And it sounds better than what we got with our DCPS - the classroom aide basically having to spend a lot of time on my child because of his needs.

Because that is not what the funds are for. If a school wants more aides in the room, fine. But it should not come from a child with an IEP. Dedicated aide means dedicated to a particular student. It doesn’t mean use special education funds to hire another person to rove around in the rooms.

Well that's the kind of rigid thinking I'm glad charters can get around. I don't see any reason with assigning a dedicated aide to a child who needs it, who may also help other kids a little. And the lines aren't that easy to draw - it could be very therapeutic and educationally appropriate for an aide to work with a small group of kids (including the kid with the IEP).

Yes. I’m so glad they can skirt the definition from IDEA.

If this is your big attempt to attack charters -- that they are more generous with aides under IDEA than DCPS -- I think you're failing!

And how is it skirting the definition under the IDEA anyway?

No, they are not more generous with aides. They get the funding and the dedicated aide for a specific student with an IEP and they “share” the aide with the gen ed population rather than having that aide actually be dedicated - which is illegal.

One, I seriously doubt that you're telling the truth.
Two, even if there are some cases where charters are bending the definitions to provide more support to kids who need it, I say bravo. I have zero problem with that.

So fiscal mismanagement and breaking the law are ok with you as long as it’s a charter doing it?

I mean, I seriously doubt this is “fiscal mismanagement and breaking the law.” But if I have to chose between my IB DCPS breaking the law by denying IEP services and a charter “breaking the law” to provide MORE services ... I’m gonna go with the charter. But go ahead, your arguments are funny.

They are actually denying IDEA mandated services to students with IEPs by sharing dedicated aides with the gen ed population. This is not providing more services to kids with IEPs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

My son is having his IEP yanked at a DCPS. Meanwhile his friend at a charter has an extraordinary IEP team. I know charters have their individual issues but I do not buy any of the conventional wisdom accusations against charters anymore.

How many charters have self contained rooms? We all already know about Bridges. How many others? How many have BES classrooms (these are behavior classes fit kids with emotional disabilities). So spare me the I don’t believe conventional wisdom crap. Charters do NOT educate the hardest kids.

Does DCPS educate them? Or just warehouse them?

Parents actually choose to send their kids to St. Colletta’s (for kids with IDs) and the Children’s Guild (behavior problems).

Yes, charters could do much better for kids with special needs, but so could DCPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

My son is having his IEP yanked at a DCPS. Meanwhile his friend at a charter has an extraordinary IEP team. I know charters have their individual issues but I do not buy any of the conventional wisdom accusations against charters anymore.

How many charters have self contained rooms? We all already know about Bridges. How many others? How many have BES classrooms (these are behavior classes fit kids with emotional disabilities). So spare me the I don’t believe conventional wisdom crap. Charters do NOT educate the hardest kids.

Does DCPS educate them? Or just warehouse them?

Parents actually choose to send their kids to St. Colletta’s (for kids with IDs) and the Children’s Guild (behavior problems).

Yes, charters could do much better for kids with special needs, but so could DCPS.

I would also make the point of scale. Not all DCPS schools have self contained classrooms or BES classrooms. But DCPS is large enough with hundreds of schools to be able for some schools to have these.

Most charters are 1 school. They do not have the funds, capacity, or space for these things.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids' charter has added people to the special ed team over the past couple years, so I don't think they're counseling out kids with IEPs but rather they're providing more services. My kid has an IEP and someone I know who works in a DCPS said they were surprised my kid gets what she does because in the DCPS school she probably would not have been given so many minutes/hours of services.

That’s because funding is based on the level of services. More services? Higher needs IEP...more funding. Charters don’t have to share it with central office. They get all the funds. They may, in fact, be making money off of your child.

Wait, so charters are both counseling out kids with IEPs AND trying to make money off them by providing more services? I call BS on this argument both ways.

Funding is done by LEA. Charter schools are their own LEA. This is why they get more money per pupil because they do not have to split the funds for central office. When DCPS receives their funding 40% of it goes to fund central office positions. This doesn't happen in charters. Now charters have to pay for their own service providers, buildings, etc. But if you can get a child and give them 12 hours pull out/inclusion that moves them up to a Level 2 IEP (more funding). You already have the special education staff in place, this isn't costing you any more to give these services. This formula works for a lot of situations. Give a kid a dedicated aide and if the child only partially needs the aide you can use them to help out with other students in the classroom. The funding for the aide comes from the child's funding, but you are using it for gen ed.

It isn't rocket science. Now, the schools that counsel out are more of the KIPP variety which I doubt many here are sending their kids there.

or maybe just maybe ... some charters actually want to support SN kids and realize that more intensive early intervention in PK-K will set a child a child up to learn to read, write, and be in the classroom? the fact that they have this budgetary flexibility makes them seem even better.

Agree. But when you are giving aides out in 3rd, 4th and 5th.....something else is going on. Or you tell a dedicated aide that they will be assigned to other children throughout the day. It's not always about the best interest of the kids. And that goes for BOTH DCPS and Charters.

I don't see any issue with giving out an aide who is also going to help the other kids. How is that not in their best interest to have more adults in the classroom, however it happens? And it sounds better than what we got with our DCPS - the classroom aide basically having to spend a lot of time on my child because of his needs.

Because that is not what the funds are for. If a school wants more aides in the room, fine. But it should not come from a child with an IEP. Dedicated aide means dedicated to a particular student. It doesn’t mean use special education funds to hire another person to rove around in the rooms.

Well that's the kind of rigid thinking I'm glad charters can get around. I don't see any reason with assigning a dedicated aide to a child who needs it, who may also help other kids a little. And the lines aren't that easy to draw - it could be very therapeutic and educationally appropriate for an aide to work with a small group of kids (including the kid with the IEP).

Yes. I’m so glad they can skirt the definition from IDEA.

If this is your big attempt to attack charters -- that they are more generous with aides under IDEA than DCPS -- I think you're failing!

And how is it skirting the definition under the IDEA anyway?

No, they are not more generous with aides. They get the funding and the dedicated aide for a specific student with an IEP and they “share” the aide with the gen ed population rather than having that aide actually be dedicated - which is illegal.

One, I seriously doubt that you're telling the truth.
Two, even if there are some cases where charters are bending the definitions to provide more support to kids who need it, I say bravo. I have zero problem with that.

So fiscal mismanagement and breaking the law are ok with you as long as it’s a charter doing it?

I mean, I seriously doubt this is “fiscal mismanagement and breaking the law.” But if I have to chose between my IB DCPS breaking the law by denying IEP services and a charter “breaking the law” to provide MORE services ... I’m gonna go with the charter. But go ahead, your arguments are funny.

They are actually denying IDEA mandated services to students with IEPs by sharing dedicated aides with the gen ed population. This is not providing more services to kids with IEPs.

DCPS regularly denies aides and IEP eligibility. Your argument is totally absurd.

[Anonymous]

So because DCPS does it, it’s ok for charters to do it? Your argument is absurd.