Reply to Mundo Verde Public Charter: Failing on Its Most Basic Mission

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]They can’t be held to account. Families have been trying for years. There is just [b]no accountability in the charter system[/b]. Mundo Verde’s reputation is getting out in the community, which is why they’re clearing waitlists in Kindergarten and up. [/quote]

This is such a tired and worn out line of thought. As if DCPS Central was all over underperforming schools, admins and teachers. Remember a few years ago when a JO Teacher was abusing and bullying kids and after much public outcry there was a public hearing where students bravely stood up and spoke about their experiences, and DCPS moved the teacher to SH...where those bullied kids were going to be! One could argue that at least with charters there is accountability because if enrollment drops they lose money. DCPS schools are not punished for enrollment.  [/quote]

In DCPS funding is connected to enrollment, just not on a tight per capita basis.  But there absolutely is a financial consequence for enrollment loss.  DCPS also has an ombudsperson, Instructional Superintendents, the LSAT groups, and sometimes more powerful PTOs than charters have.  And DCPS leadership can fire the principal and APs if it wants to.  At charters the board of the charter itself has some power but there aren't a lot of other places to turn.[/quote]

Again, your argument that somehow these checks and balances are specific to DCPS are nonsense. Charter boards can also fire principals and APs if they want to, and bad teachers can be removed (except for those with unions). The same cannot be said for DCPS. If a charter can't fill seats it dies for lack of funding. DCPS cannot just shutter schools. Note that PCSB has closed schools, DCPS has not (at least in last 10 years or so). And you yada-yada over the per capita funding but that is a current fiscal reality with direct financial consequences that simply don't apply to DCPS. Show me one example where the leadership of a DCPS school has been changed due to those channels you cite?

If enough parents stop sending their kids to a charter it dies, period. The same binary statement cannot be made for DCPS.  
 [/quote]

1) DCPS absolutely does close schools.  For example, it recently Washington Metropolitan in 2020.  So you are wrong.  I think before that the most recently closed school was Shaed.  Lately DCPS hasn't wanted to, because the overall student population has been steady or growing (aside from COVID) and they have to plan for the long-term future and provide seats for all who want them.  And DCPS does not close a school unless it has a realistic plan for where the students will end up, without overcrowding any of its other schools.  Charters don't have that responsibility, they can just close and it's not their problem what happens to the kids or the impact on other schools.

2) Parents at Cleveland have been complaining about their principal for a while.  Now they are getting a new principal.  Coincidence?  Maybe.  DCPS tends to offer principals the opportunity to resign first, and keep these things private, but they definitely do fire principals when they want to.  It's technically called a "non-renewal notice".

3) DCPS budgets are open to the public at https://dcpsbudget.com/.  It's not a literal per capita formula, but many budget functions are tied to enrollment and a school with declining enrollment will be impacted.  You can look at the budget formulas yourself if you want.  Now, the decrease due to enrollment may be offset by some other increase in funding for some other reason, but that can be true at charters too.

4) LSATs, the Ombudsperson, and Instructional Superintendents are unique to DCPS.  As is the office of the Chancellor.  You might find some similar structure in a few charters but overall there are just fewer places to turn with your complaints and concerns.  There's the board of your school, the parent org of your school (which usually has little real power) and the PCSB which hardly ever intervenes.  Aside from that you're out of luck.  You might not get what you want in the DCPS system anyway, but there are more places to try.[/quote]

Instructional Superintendents? That's the hill you want to die on? Take a look at what was done at JO Wilson and get back to me.[/quote]

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