WaPo opinion piece on charters

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If WTU has taught us anything, it’s that we need more charters.

This makes sense in theory, but not in practice. Most charter schools are closed. They’ll just do what DCPS does, which is hamstrung by the WTU.

Well, that is their choice. If charters are so much better, why are they almost entirely closed?

I’m PP 13:08. I don’t disagree with you. I don’t think charters are better. They have a choice, and they’re still bowing to WTU. It’s spineless.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:75% of the charters in DC are no better than DCPS neighborhood schools and are an absolute taxpayer money suck. I think charters can serve a good purpose in DC but most of them need to close and we need a moratorium on new ones until the charter school board can get its act together.

This. Looking at you, SSMA. I was so disappointed that the PCSB review hearing lasted about 30 seconds. Maybe with some real oversight things would improve, but not until they start actually calling out the low performers.

[Anonymous]

Charters appear to do better because they pick and chose which students they will accept. They also send those they don’t want back to public schools. Where are all the SPED kids?

Public schools HAVE to accept and accommodate all students. Charters don’t. That’s the long and short of it. It’s just that simple, seemingly too simple for people to grasp.

Jay Mathews should be ashamed.

[Anonymous]

*choose

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If WTU has taught us anything, it’s that we need more charters.

This type of post makes no sense and ignores the reality on the ground.

what reality on the ground? the reality where the WTU (main charter opponent) made clear that they don’t GAF about education? The enemy of my enemy is my friend, as they say.

This argument would be far more persuasive if any charter was actually open

lots of charters have opened “learning hubs.” Meanwhile WTU is trying desperately to discredit CARE classrooms. And yes, WTU does impact the position of charter teachers being able to refuse to return too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If WTU has taught us anything, it’s that we need more charters.

Agreed. I think the charter sector nationwide needs controls and transparency (and especially the elimination of any for-profit involvement) but the attack on the charter sector as a whole is driven by the teacher’s union. I don’t trust their perspective anymore, as they have made it abundantly clear they represent the interests of teachers, not students.

I’d be more pro charter if they didn’t counsel out “hard to teach” kids or kids with IEPs. I guess public schools will still have to be around for those kids that the charters don’t want.

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.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If WTU has taught us anything, it’s that we need more charters.

This type of post makes no sense and ignores the reality on the ground.

what reality on the ground? the reality where the WTU (main charter opponent) made clear that they don’t GAF about education? The enemy of my enemy is my friend, as they say.

This argument would be far more persuasive if any charter was actually open

lots of charters have opened “learning hubs.” Meanwhile WTU is trying desperately to discredit CARE classrooms. And yes, WTU does impact the position of charter teachers being able to refuse to return too.

The CARE classrooms are open, yes? So DCPS and charters both have in person distance learning. Try a new one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Charters appear to do better because they pick and chose which students they will accept. They also send those they don’t want back to public schools. Where are all the SPED kids?

Public schools HAVE to accept and accommodate all students. Charters don’t. That’s the long and short of it. It’s just that simple, seemingly too simple for people to grasp.

Jay Mathews should be ashamed.

that’s not true. IDEA applies equally to charters and DCPS. There are plenty of SN horror stories at DCPS.

And of course, the actual stats show that DC charters serve equal/greater percentages of at-risk and special needs kids compared to DCPS.

https://dcpcsb.org/dc-public-charter-schools-serve-higher-percentages-risk-students-and-high-needs-special-education

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If WTU has taught us anything, it’s that we need more charters.

This type of post makes no sense and ignores the reality on the ground.

what reality on the ground? the reality where the WTU (main charter opponent) made clear that they don’t GAF about education? The enemy of my enemy is my friend, as they say.

This argument would be far more persuasive if any charter was actually open

lots of charters have opened “learning hubs.” Meanwhile WTU is trying desperately to discredit CARE classrooms. And yes, WTU does impact the position of charter teachers being able to refuse to return too.

The CARE classrooms are open, yes? So DCPS and charters both have in person distance learning. Try a new one.

DCPS has a tiny number that just opened. Charters had them open all along. And again, WTU is doing its best to undermind the CAREs rooms. Try again!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If WTU has taught us anything, it’s that we need more charters.

Agreed. I think the charter sector nationwide needs controls and transparency (and especially the elimination of any for-profit involvement) but the attack on the charter sector as a whole is driven by the teacher’s union. I don’t trust their perspective anymore, as they have made it abundantly clear they represent the interests of teachers, not students.

I’d be more pro charter if they didn’t counsel out “hard to teach” kids or kids with IEPs. I guess public schools will still have to be around for those kids that the charters don’t want.

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.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If WTU has taught us anything, it’s that we need more charters.

This type of post makes no sense and ignores the reality on the ground.

what reality on the ground? the reality where the WTU (main charter opponent) made clear that they don’t GAF about education? The enemy of my enemy is my friend, as they say.

This argument would be far more persuasive if any charter was actually open

lots of charters have opened “learning hubs.” Meanwhile WTU is trying desperately to discredit CARE classrooms. And yes, WTU does impact the position of charter teachers being able to refuse to return too.

The CARE classrooms are open, yes? So DCPS and charters both have in person distance learning. Try a new one.

DCPS has a tiny number that just opened. Charters had them open all along. And again, WTU is doing its best to undermind the CAREs rooms. Try again!

Well there are 29 schools with them now. And another 40 schools opening them December 9. So at that point it will outnumber charters.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If WTU has taught us anything, it’s that we need more charters.

Agreed. I think the charter sector nationwide needs controls and transparency (and especially the elimination of any for-profit involvement) but the attack on the charter sector as a whole is driven by the teacher’s union. I don’t trust their perspective anymore, as they have made it abundantly clear they represent the interests of teachers, not students.

I’d be more pro charter if they didn’t counsel out “hard to teach” kids or kids with IEPs. I guess public schools will still have to be around for those kids that the charters don’t want.

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.

Here you go - actual statistics! Did you think they weren’t collected?

https://dcpcsb.org/dc-public-charter-schools-serve-higher-percentages-risk-students-and-high-needs-special-education

Diane Ravitch and her union buddies should be given zero credibility ever again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If WTU has taught us anything, it’s that we need more charters.

Agreed. I think the charter sector nationwide needs controls and transparency (and especially the elimination of any for-profit involvement) but the attack on the charter sector as a whole is driven by the teacher’s union. I don’t trust their perspective anymore, as they have made it abundantly clear they represent the interests of teachers, not students.

I’d be more pro charter if they didn’t counsel out “hard to teach” kids or kids with IEPs. I guess public schools will still have to be around for those kids that the charters don’t want.

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.

Here you go - actual statistics! Did you think they weren’t collected?

https://dcpcsb.org/dc-public-charter-schools-serve-higher-percentages-risk-students-and-high-needs-special-education

Diane Ravitch and her union buddies should be given zero credibility ever again.

That chart is from 2017-2018. Nice try

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If WTU has taught us anything, it’s that we need more charters.

Agreed. I think the charter sector nationwide needs controls and transparency (and especially the elimination of any for-profit involvement) but the attack on the charter sector as a whole is driven by the teacher’s union. I don’t trust their perspective anymore, as they have made it abundantly clear they represent the interests of teachers, not students.

I’d be more pro charter if they didn’t counsel out “hard to teach” kids or kids with IEPs. I guess public schools will still have to be around for those kids that the charters don’t want.

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.

Here you go - actual statistics! Did you think they weren’t collected?

https://dcpcsb.org/dc-public-charter-schools-serve-higher-percentages-risk-students-and-high-needs-special-education

Diane Ravitch and her union buddies should be given zero credibility ever again.

That is really old data. And why don't you google "Monument" and see if you are still so proud of the charter sector in this area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/charters-vs-traditional-schools/2020/12/03/47507000-34b3-11eb-a997-1f4c53d2a747_story.html

I am a DCPS parent who is so horrified and frustrated by what has happened this year that we’re entering lottery with the express goal of moving to a charter next year. I know charters are also closed, but even with schools closed, I see how our friend’s charter schools have been more nimble in adjusting to DL and offering kids more using the same resources and technology. I feel like our DCPS has totally failed the kids, across social-economic and racial lines. And the response to concerns has been a brick wall of silence.

Curious about what others think and what your experience has been, with both DCPS and charters, this year.

Experience has been great. However, not completely the same resources. Charters do more with less, esp when it comes to buildings and facilities.