Alleged grade/attendance fixing at Somerset & Howard Charter Schools

[NathanBacaABC7]

https://wjla.com/features/faking-the-grade/charter-employees-claim-grade-and-attendance-fixing

I'm the ABC7 reporter who aired this story Monday and talked to these former charter school employees about their accusations. These are not the only charter schools we heard allegations against. However, these two were the ones we had access to records or employees willing to speak at length about what they say happened there. If there are more employees who believe systemic grade and attendance fixing is happening at their charter school, the public charter school board says they want to hear from those employees - and of course, so do I.

If there are any questions DCUM folks have about this story, I can try to answer them here.

[Anonymous]

Look into how many kids Howard sends to other schools after Count Day.

[Anonymous]

I would be interested in a deeper dive into what the incentive mechanisms are that are encouraging administrators to cook the books to this degree. What are the carrots and sticks held out to these principals and how do other systems do it?

[Anonymous]

NathanBacaABC7 wrote:https://wjla.com/features/faking-the-grade/charter-employees-claim-grade-and-attendance-fixing

I'm the ABC7 reporter who aired this story Monday and talked to these former charter school employees about their accusations. These are not the only charter schools we heard allegations against. However, these two were the ones we had access to records or employees willing to speak at length about what they say happened there. If there are more employees who believe systemic grade and attendance fixing is happening at their charter school, the public charter school board says they want to hear from those employees - and of course, so do I.

If there are any questions DCUM folks have about this story, I can try to answer them here.

You cited the evidence/records you reviewed for Howard in the article. Did you have similar records for Somerset?

[Anonymous]

NathanBacaABC7 wrote:https://wjla.com/features/faking-the-grade/charter-employees-claim-grade-and-attendance-fixing

I'm the ABC7 reporter who aired this story Monday and talked to these former charter school employees about their accusations. These are not the only charter schools we heard allegations against. However, these two were the ones we had access to records or employees willing to speak at length about what they say happened there. If there are more employees who believe systemic grade and attendance fixing is happening at their charter school, the public charter school board says they want to hear from those employees - and of course, so do I.

If there are any questions DCUM folks have about this story, I can try to answer them here.

Investigate further the Charter School Board, especially in lieu of the reports by Washington City Paper & Washington Post about conflict of interest etc. According to this report the teacher did report it to the board and they did nothing...

These stories come out in print then go away, no one is held accountable


https://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/news/article/21006459/behind-the-consulting-firm-raking-in-millions-from-dc-charter-schools

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

NathanBacaABC7 wrote:https://wjla.com/features/faking-the-grade/charter-employees-claim-grade-and-attendance-fixing

I'm the ABC7 reporter who aired this story Monday and talked to these former charter school employees about their accusations. These are not the only charter schools we heard allegations against. However, these two were the ones we had access to records or employees willing to speak at length about what they say happened there. If there are more employees who believe systemic grade and attendance fixing is happening at their charter school, the public charter school board says they want to hear from those employees - and of course, so do I.

If there are any questions DCUM folks have about this story, I can try to answer them here.

Investigate further the Charter School Board, especially in lieu of the reports by Washington City Paper & Washington Post about conflict of interest etc. According to this report the teacher did report it to the board and they did nothing...

These stories come out in print then go away, no one is held accountable


https://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/news/article/21006459/behind-the-consulting-firm-raking-in-millions-from-dc-charter-schools

Stop trying to prevent charter schools from “outperforming” traditional schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

NathanBacaABC7 wrote:https://wjla.com/features/faking-the-grade/charter-employees-claim-grade-and-attendance-fixing

I'm the ABC7 reporter who aired this story Monday and talked to these former charter school employees about their accusations. These are not the only charter schools we heard allegations against. However, these two were the ones we had access to records or employees willing to speak at length about what they say happened there. If there are more employees who believe systemic grade and attendance fixing is happening at their charter school, the public charter school board says they want to hear from those employees - and of course, so do I.

If there are any questions DCUM folks have about this story, I can try to answer them here.

Investigate further the Charter School Board, especially in lieu of the reports by Washington City Paper & Washington Post about conflict of interest etc. According to this report the teacher did report it to the board and they did nothing...

These stories come out in print then go away, no one is held accountable


https://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/news/article/21006459/behind-the-consulting-firm-raking-in-millions-from-dc-charter-schools

Stop trying to prevent charter schools from “outperforming” traditional schools.

Don't be ridiculous, there is corruption in both are you okay with that, I guess so? The media is the enemy right? NO the enemy is ANY school that purports to teach and educate the youth of DC and does not for whatever reason. The students deserve better!

Any while you're at it investigate *Paul, Chavez, Friendship the number of vacancies and teacher turnover tells you something is drastically wrong. Start with Paul!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

NathanBacaABC7 wrote:https://wjla.com/features/faking-the-grade/charter-employees-claim-grade-and-attendance-fixing

I'm the ABC7 reporter who aired this story Monday and talked to these former charter school employees about their accusations. These are not the only charter schools we heard allegations against. However, these two were the ones we had access to records or employees willing to speak at length about what they say happened there. If there are more employees who believe systemic grade and attendance fixing is happening at their charter school, the public charter school board says they want to hear from those employees - and of course, so do I.

If there are any questions DCUM folks have about this story, I can try to answer them here.

Investigate further the Charter School Board, especially in lieu of the reports by Washington City Paper & Washington Post about conflict of interest etc. According to this report the teacher did report it to the board and they did nothing...

These stories come out in print then go away, no one is held accountable


https://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/news/article/21006459/behind-the-consulting-firm-raking-in-millions-from-dc-charter-schools

Stop trying to prevent charter schools from “outperforming” traditional schools.

Don't be ridiculous, there is corruption in both are you okay with that, I guess so? The media is the enemy right? NO the enemy is ANY school that purports to teach and educate the youth of DC and does not for whatever reason. The students deserve better!

Any while you're at it investigate *Paul, Chavez, Friendship the number of vacancies and teacher turnover tells you something is drastically wrong. Start with Paul!

Yeah, sure, investigate all the schools serving oredominantly minority kids. Racist much?

[NathanBacaABC7]

Anonymous wrote:

NathanBacaABC7 wrote:https://wjla.com/features/faking-the-grade/charter-employees-claim-grade-and-attendance-fixing

I'm the ABC7 reporter who aired this story Monday and talked to these former charter school employees about their accusations. These are not the only charter schools we heard allegations against. However, these two were the ones we had access to records or employees willing to speak at length about what they say happened there. If there are more employees who believe systemic grade and attendance fixing is happening at their charter school, the public charter school board says they want to hear from those employees - and of course, so do I.

If there are any questions DCUM folks have about this story, I can try to answer them here.

You cited the evidence/records you reviewed for Howard in the article. Did you have similar records for Somerset?

I do not have records for Somerset. For that school, we relied on an interview with a teacher (portions of which we aired) and a counselor (which we did not air - but made identical claims). Attendance and grading records are the gold standard for these type of stories - and its what started the Ballou HS / DCPS chain of events.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

NathanBacaABC7 wrote:https://wjla.com/features/faking-the-grade/charter-employees-claim-grade-and-attendance-fixing

I'm the ABC7 reporter who aired this story Monday and talked to these former charter school employees about their accusations. These are not the only charter schools we heard allegations against. However, these two were the ones we had access to records or employees willing to speak at length about what they say happened there. If there are more employees who believe systemic grade and attendance fixing is happening at their charter school, the public charter school board says they want to hear from those employees - and of course, so do I.

If there are any questions DCUM folks have about this story, I can try to answer them here.

Investigate further the Charter School Board, especially in lieu of the reports by Washington City Paper & Washington Post about conflict of interest etc. According to this report the teacher did report it to the board and they did nothing...

These stories come out in print then go away, no one is held accountable


https://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/news/article/21006459/behind-the-consulting-firm-raking-in-millions-from-dc-charter-schools

Stop trying to prevent charter schools from “outperforming” traditional schools.

Don't be ridiculous, there is corruption in both are you okay with that, I guess so? The media is the enemy right? NO the enemy is ANY school that purports to teach and educate the youth of DC and does not for whatever reason. The students deserve better!

Any while you're at it investigate *Paul, Chavez, Friendship the number of vacancies and teacher turnover tells you something is drastically wrong. Start with Paul!

Yeah, sure, investigate all the schools serving oredominantly minority kids. Racist much?

No it's racist to not investigate because they serve predominately minority students and most folks on DCUM do not send their kids there! Interview some of the teachers former and current if you want to get a true picture of what goes on. I know for a fact that at 2 of these schools it is a hot mess, part of the reason is they don't pay very well and have terrible benefits and so have a constant churn of under-qualified and under-experienced teachers.

[Anonymous]

NathanBacaABC7 wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

NathanBacaABC7 wrote:https://wjla.com/features/faking-the-grade/charter-employees-claim-grade-and-attendance-fixing

I'm the ABC7 reporter who aired this story Monday and talked to these former charter school employees about their accusations. These are not the only charter schools we heard allegations against. However, these two were the ones we had access to records or employees willing to speak at length about what they say happened there. If there are more employees who believe systemic grade and attendance fixing is happening at their charter school, the public charter school board says they want to hear from those employees - and of course, so do I.

If there are any questions DCUM folks have about this story, I can try to answer them here.

You cited the evidence/records you reviewed for Howard in the article. Did you have similar records for Somerset?

I do not have records for Somerset. For that school, we relied on an interview with a teacher (portions of which we aired) and a counselor (which we did not air - but made identical claims). Attendance and grading records are the gold standard for these type of stories - and its what started the Ballou HS / DCPS chain of events.

Ask current and former teachers to contact you. From being at professional events with such teachers, you get to hear all kinds of terrible stories of what is going on. Not sure that here is the best place to reach teachers, but maybe also WTU, many DCPS teachers are former Charter school teachers ...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

NathanBacaABC7 wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

NathanBacaABC7 wrote:https://wjla.com/features/faking-the-grade/charter-employees-claim-grade-and-attendance-fixing

I'm the ABC7 reporter who aired this story Monday and talked to these former charter school employees about their accusations. These are not the only charter schools we heard allegations against. However, these two were the ones we had access to records or employees willing to speak at length about what they say happened there. If there are more employees who believe systemic grade and attendance fixing is happening at their charter school, the public charter school board says they want to hear from those employees - and of course, so do I.

If there are any questions DCUM folks have about this story, I can try to answer them here.

You cited the evidence/records you reviewed for Howard in the article. Did you have similar records for Somerset?

I do not have records for Somerset. For that school, we relied on an interview with a teacher (portions of which we aired) and a counselor (which we did not air - but made identical claims). Attendance and grading records are the gold standard for these type of stories - and its what started the Ballou HS / DCPS chain of events.

Ask current and former teachers to contact you. From being at professional events with such teachers, you get to hear all kinds of terrible stories of what is going on. Not sure that here is the best place to reach teachers, but maybe also WTU, many DCPS teachers are former Charter school teachers ...

Also making a connection to the recent court case. If Charter schools want to be treated as equals and receive equal funding, then shouldn't they have to play by the same rules and at least have qualified teachers and closer oversight re. testing/grading if want more local and federal money. Or at least the Charter school board should be held to a higher and more inclusive level of accountability?

[Anonymous]

I am wondering why these schools are making news now. When many of us sent how BASIS was fixing grades, no one seemed interested back then.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am wondering why these schools are making news now. When many of us sent how BASIS was fixing grades, no one seemed interested back then.

As the reporter said, they need hard evidence or folks willing to go on the record!

[NathanBacaABC7]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am wondering why these schools are making news now. When many of us sent how BASIS was fixing grades, no one seemed interested back then.

As the reporter said, they need hard evidence or folks willing to go on the record!

I cannot speak about BASIS since that was likely before my time at ABC7, but I can say the entire DCPS scrutiny came because of the whistleblower decision of one former Ballou teacher who decided to bring with her thousands of documents. Those documents could not be ignored. Since then, two other teachers have come forward to me. One was from Columbia Heights (CHEC). She showed that Ballou was not the only one. The second teacher was from Howard Charter, showing how that sector had similar problems. The Somerset interviews did not have documents, but had told us repeatedly the documentary problems from other schools were mirrored at their own.