Reply to WaPo Editorial today on DCPS/charter collaboration

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote]The whole point of charters is that they are forced to compete for students (and thus funding) and that this competitive pressure is what drives the charters to perform. [/quote]

No. The whole point of charters is not to have a gladiatorial death match, competing with local schools for students. The point of charters SHOULD BE to provide alternative methods of learning, because not every child thrives in the same environment. Another point of charters SHOULD be to bring communities together, by drawing students from all over the city. Those are positive goals. COMPETITION FOR FUNDING is bullshit. And not the point of education.

Now, granted, I've been known to rant myself on how DCPS seems to like lighting money on fire to build underground parking garages, but charters are no better in those circumstances. It's amazing how well-appointed so many of them are. [/quote]

I'm the PP that you quoted.  We may or may not agree about what *should be* the goals of our local educational institutions.  But currently, charters are funded on a per student basis.  They are competing with DCPS and other charters for students, and by extension, money.  To act as though this does not affect the institutional interests of the players here is naïve.  And I was so strident in my criticism of the Post's editorial board because they don't address this issue at all in their editorial.

I've got kids in a charter that's looking for space, so believe me, I wish there was a way they could pry away space from DCPS.  But I don't expect DCPS to give away space that it may need in the future.  The only way DCPS is going to agree to allow a charters to use its buildings is if they are required to do so.  For the Post's editorial board to expect otherwise is mystifying to me.

[/quote]

I think the Post's editorial board was trying to pressure the CITY and the MAYOR to make it a priority to get some of those buildings for charters. Some are owned by DCPS, but some are under DGS control. Yes, DCPS won't happily part ways with them... but it is Bowser's responsibility to do what is in best interest of ALL the city's kids, not just DCPS kids.[/quote]

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