Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanks all -- I was asking the question because I didn't for sure know the answer. It's making more sense now...

Let me guess, OP. You bought a house in Brightwood? Michigan Park? But you don't want to send your kid to the local school because it's "not an option" so you're looking at charters?

You're off, but what does that have to do with my original question anyway?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanks all -- I was asking the question because I didn't for sure know the answer. It's making more sense now...

Let me guess, OP. You bought a house in Brightwood? Michigan Park? But you don't want to send your kid to the local school because it's "not an option" so you're looking at charters?

Doubtful - OP would consider those areas sketchy.

Anonymous wrote:Thanks all -- I was asking the question because I didn't for sure know the answer. It's making more sense now...

Let me guess, OP. You bought a house in Brightwood? Michigan Park? But you don't want to send your kid to the local school because it's "not an option" so you're looking at charters?

Its actually not really about price and more about space. How vacant and avaialble buildings that are suitable for a school even exist in the City? Up until about 9 years ago, most old DCPS schools were sold to the private sector and converted to condos. Then others closed due to lack of enrollment all over the City. There really are only a handful of sites in the entire City. A charter schools gets them whenever they can actually find one. If they have a lot of high income parents they may be able to fundraise a lot more and get something in a better area (Basis, CMI etc)

Which charters that you are considering are in areas that you consider sketchy?

Our ward 5 charter is in an area that is generally pretty quiet.

define sketchy - its quite lovely in my neck of the woods in ward 5.

Thanks all -- I was asking the question because I didn't for sure know the answer. It's making more sense now...

Anonymous wrote:Charters can also offer niche programming to compete with high-performing public schools (immersion, Montessori, etc.) But real estate costs and the central office are both deterrents to locating these schools in affluent areas. And since affluent families generally do not object to high-performing neighborhood schools, and/or have the means to transport a child to a remote location if they feel the program is worth it, the absence of charters in affluent neighborhoods is not an issue that inspires much advocacy.

yummy - Kool Aid!

or could it be that affluent areas already have good quality public schools and would comprise a weak market for charter start ups?

Because real estate in the non-sketchy areas is too expensive for most start ups, particularly when parents (and common sense, and evidence) require outdoor spaces and large facilities.

Relatedly, where do you live?

Charters can also offer niche programming to compete with high-performing public schools (immersion, Montessori, etc.) But real estate costs and the central office are both deterrents to locating these schools in affluent areas. And since affluent families generally do not object to high-performing neighborhood schools, and/or have the means to transport a child to a remote location if they feel the program is worth it, the absence of charters in affluent neighborhoods is not an issue that inspires much advocacy.

Charters are designed to be alternatives to poorly performing public schools. The poorly performing schools happen to be in low-income areas. It has nothing to do with real estate costs. You just don't get it.

Systems turn to charters when they have failing regular schools. Charters are evil because they sap resources from public schools. Lots of fraud associated with charters.

Anonymous wrote:I could probably answer my own question: real estate is less expensive in these areas. I guess it's not as big of a deal if they have all their activities on the campus of the school, but when they have to walk a bit to get to the nearest playground this makes me nervous.

You should make more money so that you can afford to send your child to private school, or a good public school in a non-sketchy neighborhood. Problem solved!

Are you for real?

I could probably answer my own question: real estate is less expensive in these areas. I guess it's not as big of a deal if they have all their activities on the campus of the school, but when they have to walk a bit to get to the nearest playground this makes me nervous.