Reply to WaPo Editorial today on DCPS/charter collaboration

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote]lso whoever said charters are not looking to rehab vacant/crumbling buildings - that's not true. Otherwise charters have to build a new site from scratch at $10-20 million at LEAST, or have to lease from a private facility which is generally not optimal (in terms of adequate space/design etc for student learning). If they can renovate a building, they are spending dramatically less - and a lot less than DCPS is spending on facilities rehab. [/quote]

Duke Ellington's renovation costs have ballooned to $178 million for a projected enrollment of 600 students, or $300,000 per student.  Even if you assume a useful life of 40 years in the renovation, that's an absurd per-pupil cost of over $7,000 per student.  A public charter school receives $3,000 per student for facilities costs, which is intended to cover lease + occupancy expenses.

So, there is an equity argument to be had (whether Public Charters produce similar or better outcomes with similar populations of students).  But the efficiency argument -- whether the government, or non-profit entities, do a better job of spending public dollars -- seems to be a non-starter.  Our public policy should be geared toward removing as many barriers to charter expansion as possible.[/quote]

DE is an outlier. To my knowledge, it is the only DCPS school that actively fundraise and solicit millions of dollars of donations from outside entities and people. It is the only school that has its own BOD. It is probably the only DCPS school that Marylanders and Virginians pay tuition for their children to attend. And, the backing DE has from all economic, political, racial, and social groups in this city is beyond compare. [/quote]

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