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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Nobody’s talking about all schools, we’re talking about the system of oversight for charters in DC. Good ones are fine, with or without effective oversight. Bad ones are allowed to continue without consequence or accountability for years. Eventually families start fleeing and they enter the “charter death spiral” and the Board takes notice. It’s been happening for years.[/quote]

This.  Yes, the really egregiously poor performers are eventually closed.  After being awful for years and years and getting extension after extension, slowly spiraling down and down.  Closure won't bring those years back for the kids.  And it won't change the fact that taxpayers paid for low performing schools because the charter board isn't willing to actually enforce its own standards.[/quote]

What is your prescription, precisely? More stringent oversight by the charter board? Schools closed more quickly and communities disrupted Willy nilly before they have a chance to improve on weaknesses?  Or you want no schools
to close—more intense remediation efforts? Or you want tax payer money to go back to DCPS only, and the politically-tuned, dysfunctional, behemoth of non-education and graft knows as DCPS central office? Have you even heard the Chancellor speak? He’s a lightweight, political beast—not a serious educational leader. That’s what you want? Do tell…[/quote]

I would say to intervene sooner rather than allowing the suckitude to go on until the 5/10/15 year review.  Two bad years should mean the school has to provide an improvement plan   Stop allowing so many extensions-- 5 years means 5, not 8.  Not shrugging their shoulders and saying "flexibility!" to justify schools that really have nothing particularly special about them, are not innovating, and are barely squeaking by on renewal metrics.  Stop allowing schools to expand or replicate unless they are among the highest performing schools-- no more wasting real estate on meh schools.  Most of these flexibilities the PCSB already possesses but is opting not to exercise, and mediocrity is the result.  I am no fan of the chancellor or of DCPS but I see no reason we can't have better charter schools than we currently do.  And I see no reason for an established out of state operator such as Harmony to be allowed to have a nearly-failing school in DC for eight years.  The parent company should bring it's good performance to DC like it does for other cities, or get out.[/quote]

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