Anonymous
Post 02/05/2019 16:18     Subject: So this is where all the money is going at DC Charters?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I don't work at a Charter but know many who do. Can't talk about elementary but at middle and high, teachers are paid very low salary and that is why there is a constant churn and many of the new charters are in trouble, part of the problem they can't keep their staff. I just cannot believe the salary that some of the admin are raking in, and these schools are not the highly regarded ones we read about on DCUM. Principals at DCPS who work in some of the hardest to staff schools East of River are making peanuts in comparison and working in very difficult, and dangerous environments. These data is shocking to me, then of course there are the consultants who are connected to the PCSB, the lack of transparency at that organization needs to be investigated now. Children's education should not be profit driven..

https://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/news/city-desk/article/21045319/dc-charter-administrators-have-some-of-the-highest-school-salaries-in-town-their-teachers-some-of-the-lowest


I've been a teacher at two charter schools for the past 10 years. I know what I signed up for when I left a 20+ year career in the private sector to be a middle-school math teacher. My annual salary is a fraction of what I made. But, doing something meaningful for underserved students mattered more to me that the 24/7, higher-paying job. The lawyer in the article who was "shocked" by her pay is either horribly naive or wants it both ways - teacher job with lawyer pay. No one forced her to take a job she didn't want. She made a choice. We all do. It's not like there was a bait and switch, starting at one salary and then getting downgraded to a lower one.

This article highlights outliers not "data". There are some 100 charter schools in the District. Most are well run and staffed by hard-working, honest, ethical people. Every year, a few rotten apples are outed. Remember the mess from Community Academy PCS four or so years ago? Each time there's a story on an outlier, everyone piles on to say the whole system is corrupt and broken.



Some facts:
1. Charter schools are independent non-profits that file 990 tax returns with the IRS annually. They're accessible easily and for free from many sources (PCSB, the school --- some, or Guidestar). There's a ton more financial data anyone can pour through about a charter school than any individual public school.
2. Charter schools are on their own for 100% of the cost running a school -- staffing, salaries, benefits, space (rent, buy, financing), maintenance, furniture, computers, utilities, grounds care, supplies, books, security, accounting, student data, etc. etc. etc. That's way beyond what a DCPS principal manages.
3. Charter schools are funded on an annual basis, period; and it's based upon student enrollment. My fellow teachers and I work our butts off because we care about the students and want our school to succeed. Why? Students = funding = staffing+resources+facilities+supplies+ . . . .

Please, please . . . focus on data and facts, not outliers and grumpy people who made a choice they don't like. The teachers at my school and the majority I interact with will be grateful.


They exacerbate the problem, but THEY I mean the DC Charter School board and the lack of accountability shouldn't have to file a FOIA to find out information on teacher salary, they are using public money. They are not private schools. The relationship between TenSquare and Real Estate developers. You can't have it both ways either. These schools could operate as private schools but they don't want to, they want to take public money then they need to allow PUBLIC scrutiny. No one forced the Charters to open, operate in DC, or take public money either...and there is nothing noble about having a majority just out of college "teachers operate in a school with 100% of children from another culture or community. Which I have seen in my time, .a shocking lack of diversity among teacher staff at some schools except for the aides and custodians!!!!!!!!

You chose to operate in a Charter so just like public schools you have to be open to the scruitiny. Charter schools want it both ways, you take the money but want to be able to do what you want with it. Sorry, doesn't work like that...

Are all DC charters the same, no but ... lots of questions deserve to be asked and answered.



Fascinating that the argument is always that charters take public money and therefore should act like and be treated like all public schools. I don't see a list of traditional public schools closing each year when they don't make performance goals.
Anonymous
Post 02/05/2019 15:51     Subject: So this is where all the money is going at DC Charters?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I don't work at a Charter but know many who do. Can't talk about elementary but at middle and high, teachers are paid very low salary and that is why there is a constant churn and many of the new charters are in trouble, part of the problem they can't keep their staff. I just cannot believe the salary that some of the admin are raking in, and these schools are not the highly regarded ones we read about on DCUM. Principals at DCPS who work in some of the hardest to staff schools East of River are making peanuts in comparison and working in very difficult, and dangerous environments. These data is shocking to me, then of course there are the consultants who are connected to the PCSB, the lack of transparency at that organization needs to be investigated now. Children's education should not be profit driven..

https://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/news/city-desk/article/21045319/dc-charter-administrators-have-some-of-the-highest-school-salaries-in-town-their-teachers-some-of-the-lowest


I've been a teacher at two charter schools for the past 10 years. I know what I signed up for when I left a 20+ year career in the private sector to be a middle-school math teacher. My annual salary is a fraction of what I made. But, doing something meaningful for underserved students mattered more to me that the 24/7, higher-paying job. The lawyer in the article who was "shocked" by her pay is either horribly naive or wants it both ways - teacher job with lawyer pay. No one forced her to take a job she didn't want. She made a choice. We all do. It's not like there was a bait and switch, starting at one salary and then getting downgraded to a lower one.

This article highlights outliers not "data". There are some 100 charter schools in the District. Most are well run and staffed by hard-working, honest, ethical people. Every year, a few rotten apples are outed. Remember the mess from Community Academy PCS four or so years ago? Each time there's a story on an outlier, everyone piles on to say the whole system is corrupt and broken.



Some facts:
1. Charter schools are independent non-profits that file 990 tax returns with the IRS annually. They're accessible easily and for free from many sources (PCSB, the school --- some, or Guidestar). There's a ton more financial data anyone can pour through about a charter school than any individual public school.
2. Charter schools are on their own for 100% of the cost running a school -- staffing, salaries, benefits, space (rent, buy, financing), maintenance, furniture, computers, utilities, grounds care, supplies, books, security, accounting, student data, etc. etc. etc. That's way beyond what a DCPS principal manages.
3. Charter schools are funded on an annual basis, period; and it's based upon student enrollment. My fellow teachers and I work our butts off because we care about the students and want our school to succeed. Why? Students = funding = staffing+resources+facilities+supplies+ . . . .

Please, please . . . focus on data and facts, not outliers and grumpy people who made a choice they don't like. The teachers at my school and the majority I interact with will be grateful.


They exacerbate the problem, but THEY I mean the DC Charter School board and the lack of accountability shouldn't have to file a FOIA to find out information on teacher salary, they are using public money. They are not private schools. The relationship between TenSquare and Real Estate developers. You can't have it both ways either. These schools could operate as private schools but they don't want to, they want to take public money then they need to allow PUBLIC scrutiny. No one forced the Charters to open, operate in DC, or take public money either...and there is nothing noble about having a majority just out of college "teachers operate in a school with 100% of children from another culture or community. Which I have seen in my time, .a shocking lack of diversity among teacher staff at some schools except for the aides and custodians!!!!!!!!

You chose to operate in a Charter so just like public schools you have to be open to the scruitiny. Charter schools want it both ways, you take the money but want to be able to do what you want with it. Sorry, doesn't work like that...

Are all DC charters the same, no but ... lots of questions deserve to be asked and answered.


50% of public school students are enrolled in charter schools so they must be doing something right as a whole. Bad ones out there? For sure. Same can be said for public schools (just read a posting about Hardy and bullying -- pretty unnerving).
Anonymous
Post 02/05/2019 14:55     Subject: So this is where all the money is going at DC Charters?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I don't work at a Charter but know many who do. Can't talk about elementary but at middle and high, teachers are paid very low salary and that is why there is a constant churn and many of the new charters are in trouble, part of the problem they can't keep their staff. I just cannot believe the salary that some of the admin are raking in, and these schools are not the highly regarded ones we read about on DCUM. Principals at DCPS who work in some of the hardest to staff schools East of River are making peanuts in comparison and working in very difficult, and dangerous environments. These data is shocking to me, then of course there are the consultants who are connected to the PCSB, the lack of transparency at that organization needs to be investigated now. Children's education should not be profit driven..

https://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/news/city-desk/article/21045319/dc-charter-administrators-have-some-of-the-highest-school-salaries-in-town-their-teachers-some-of-the-lowest


I've been a teacher at two charter schools for the past 10 years. I know what I signed up for when I left a 20+ year career in the private sector to be a middle-school math teacher. My annual salary is a fraction of what I made. But, doing something meaningful for underserved students mattered more to me that the 24/7, higher-paying job. The lawyer in the article who was "shocked" by her pay is either horribly naive or wants it both ways - teacher job with lawyer pay. No one forced her to take a job she didn't want. She made a choice. We all do. It's not like there was a bait and switch, starting at one salary and then getting downgraded to a lower one.

This article highlights outliers not "data". There are some 100 charter schools in the District. Most are well run and staffed by hard-working, honest, ethical people. Every year, a few rotten apples are outed. Remember the mess from Community Academy PCS four or so years ago? Each time there's a story on an outlier, everyone piles on to say the whole system is corrupt and broken.



Some facts:
1. Charter schools are independent non-profits that file 990 tax returns with the IRS annually. They're accessible easily and for free from many sources (PCSB, the school --- some, or Guidestar). There's a ton more financial data anyone can pour through about a charter school than any individual public school.
2. Charter schools are on their own for 100% of the cost running a school -- staffing, salaries, benefits, space (rent, buy, financing), maintenance, furniture, computers, utilities, grounds care, supplies, books, security, accounting, student data, etc. etc. etc. That's way beyond what a DCPS principal manages.
3. Charter schools are funded on an annual basis, period; and it's based upon student enrollment. My fellow teachers and I work our butts off because we care about the students and want our school to succeed. Why? Students = funding = staffing+resources+facilities+supplies+ . . . .

Please, please . . . focus on data and facts, not outliers and grumpy people who made a choice they don't like. The teachers at my school and the majority I interact with will be grateful.


They exacerbate the problem, but THEY I mean the DC Charter School board and the lack of accountability shouldn't have to file a FOIA to find out information on teacher salary, they are using public money. They are not private schools. The relationship between TenSquare and Real Estate developers. You can't have it both ways either. These schools could operate as private schools but they don't want to, they want to take public money then they need to allow PUBLIC scrutiny. No one forced the Charters to open, operate in DC, or take public money either...and there is nothing noble about having a majority just out of college "teachers operate in a school with 100% of children from another culture or community. Which I have seen in my time, .a shocking lack of diversity among teacher staff at some schools except for the aides and custodians!!!!!!!!

You chose to operate in a Charter so just like public schools you have to be open to the scruitiny. Charter schools want it both ways, you take the money but want to be able to do what you want with it. Sorry, doesn't work like that...

Are all DC charters the same, no but ... lots of questions deserve to be asked and answered.

Anonymous
Post 02/05/2019 13:44     Subject: So this is where all the money is going at DC Charters?
Anonymous wrote:I don't work at a Charter but know many who do. Can't talk about elementary but at middle and high, teachers are paid very low salary and that is why there is a constant churn and many of the new charters are in trouble, part of the problem they can't keep their staff. I just cannot believe the salary that some of the admin are raking in, and these schools are not the highly regarded ones we read about on DCUM. Principals at DCPS who work in some of the hardest to staff schools East of River are making peanuts in comparison and working in very difficult, and dangerous environments. These data is shocking to me, then of course there are the consultants who are connected to the PCSB, the lack of transparency at that organization needs to be investigated now. Children's education should not be profit driven..

https://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/news/city-desk/article/21045319/dc-charter-administrators-have-some-of-the-highest-school-salaries-in-town-their-teachers-some-of-the-lowest


I've been a teacher at two charter schools for the past 10 years. I know what I signed up for when I left a 20+ year career in the private sector to be a middle-school math teacher. My annual salary is a fraction of what I made. But, doing something meaningful for underserved students mattered more to me that the 24/7, higher-paying job. The lawyer in the article who was "shocked" by her pay is either horribly naive or wants it both ways - teacher job with lawyer pay. No one forced her to take a job she didn't want. She made a choice. We all do. It's not like there was a bait and switch, starting at one salary and then getting downgraded to a lower one.

This article highlights outliers not "data". There are some 100 charter schools in the District. Most are well run and staffed by hard-working, honest, ethical people. Every year, a few rotten apples are outed. Remember the mess from Community Academy PCS four or so years ago? Each time there's a story on an outlier, everyone piles on to say the whole system is corrupt and broken.

Some facts:
1. Charter schools are independent non-profits that file 990 tax returns with the IRS annually. They're accessible easily and for free from many sources (PCSB, the school --- some, or Guidestar). There's a ton more financial data anyone can pour through about a charter school than any individual public school.
2. Charter schools are on their own for 100% of the cost running a school -- staffing, salaries, benefits, space (rent, buy, financing), maintenance, furniture, computers, utilities, grounds care, supplies, books, security, accounting, student data, etc. etc. etc. That's way beyond what a DCPS principal manages.
3. Charter schools are funded on an annual basis, period; and it's based upon student enrollment. My fellow teachers and I work our butts off because we care about the students and want our school to succeed. Why? Students = funding = staffing+resources+facilities+supplies+ . . . .

Please, please . . . focus on data and facts, not outliers and grumpy people who made a choice they don't like. The teachers at my school and the majority I interact with will be grateful.
Anonymous
Post 02/05/2019 06:25     Subject: So this is where all the money is going at DC Charters?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:You can find the senior executives salaries on each school's 990.

Most are far below what these outliers are making.

The fact that teachers are not paid as well as DCPS is not news.


PP here, I understand that, but why?


One big reason is that charter teachers are not represented by a union that bargains collectively on their behalf for higher wages, benefits, and working conditions.


True. That also makes it extremely difficult to get rid of incompetent teachers.
Anonymous
Post 02/05/2019 06:20     Subject: So this is where all the money is going at DC Charters?
Middle school is tough. And when you’re not a high demand middle school, you’re gonna get a boatload of kids that are not on grade level, some two to three grade levels behind.

There is no magic other than time that will get a get on track if they are that far behind in sixth grade; I hope Howard survives the pcsb chopping block.
Anonymous
Post 02/05/2019 06:19     Subject: So this is where all the money is going at DC Charters?
Middle school is tough. And when you’re not a high demand middle school, you’re gonna get a boatload of kids that are not on grade level, some two to three grade levels behind.

There is no magic other than time that will get a get on track if they are that far behind in sixth grade; I hope Howard survives the pcsb chopping block.
Anonymous
Post 02/04/2019 23:03     Subject: So this is where all the money is going at DC Charters?
People should be ashamed making that much money on the backs of kids. SMH.
Anonymous
Post 02/04/2019 19:38     Subject: So this is where all the money is going at DC Charters?
Anonymous wrote:Funny to bring up Sonia Guitierrez but crickets when it comes to Jennie Niles


What about her?
Anonymous
Post 02/02/2019 22:06     Subject: So this is where all the money is going at DC Charters?
Funny to bring up Sonia Guitierrez but crickets when it comes to Jennie Niles
Anonymous
Post 02/01/2019 17:50     Subject: So this is where all the money is going at DC Charters?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:You can find the senior executives salaries on each school's 990.

Most are far below what these outliers are making.

The fact that teachers are not paid as well as DCPS is not news.


Where do you find a school's 990? It's not on their website and when I search the IRS, tax exempt organization search, a 990 is not available for the school.


On a school's PCSB profile page. Click on the button for "school profile and performance" and it will be in the right-hand column. https://www.dcpcsb.org/find-a-school



Wow, I'm shocked. My kids are at a very highly sought-after charter middle/high school and their principal makes only $111,000. She's extraordinarily good. Why on Earth are those other heads of school making a quarter- to a half-million a year?


The $250-500K salaries are outliers. The majority of school leaders seem to be in the $110-150K range. Which is by no means a lot of money when you consider how much responsibility they have and hours they probably work. Plenty of GS-14s+ in the DC area make more than that and most don't oversee a 70+ person organization.



Kipp is a big player in the Charter movement and so is Friendship, consider the number of campuses. Yes, the teachers are paid terribly that is the point, they are also not held to the same standards re. certification either. EmpowerEd have an online petition regarding transparency and FOIA.

https://www.coworker.org/petitions/charter-schools-should-have-the-same-transparency-requirements-as-traditional-public-schools




Hmmm...my husband is a KIPP teacher and he's paid really well, getting his Master's for free, and gets some pretty nice bonuses. He has an amazing relationship with his school leader and co-teachers and has been well-taken care of since he started five years ago. I know that each KIPP school is different but I don't think it's fair say "Yes, teachers are paid terribly, that is the point." No one goes into teaching for the money but he's not being exploited either.


Precisely, he works at KIPP we are talking about the smaller charters.
Anonymous
Post 02/01/2019 14:39     Subject: So this is where all the money is going at DC Charters?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:You can find the senior executives salaries on each school's 990.

Most are far below what these outliers are making.

The fact that teachers are not paid as well as DCPS is not news.


Where do you find a school's 990? It's not on their website and when I search the IRS, tax exempt organization search, a 990 is not available for the school.


On a school's PCSB profile page. Click on the button for "school profile and performance" and it will be in the right-hand column. https://www.dcpcsb.org/find-a-school



Wow, I'm shocked. My kids are at a very highly sought-after charter middle/high school and their principal makes only $111,000. She's extraordinarily good. Why on Earth are those other heads of school making a quarter- to a half-million a year?


The $250-500K salaries are outliers. The majority of school leaders seem to be in the $110-150K range. Which is by no means a lot of money when you consider how much responsibility they have and hours they probably work. Plenty of GS-14s+ in the DC area make more than that and most don't oversee a 70+ person organization.



Kipp is a big player in the Charter movement and so is Friendship, consider the number of campuses. Yes, the teachers are paid terribly that is the point, they are also not held to the same standards re. certification either. EmpowerEd have an online petition regarding transparency and FOIA.

https://www.coworker.org/petitions/charter-schools-should-have-the-same-transparency-requirements-as-traditional-public-schools




Hmmm...my husband is a KIPP teacher and he's paid really well, getting his Master's for free, and gets some pretty nice bonuses. He has an amazing relationship with his school leader and co-teachers and has been well-taken care of since he started five years ago. I know that each KIPP school is different but I don't think it's fair say "Yes, teachers are paid terribly, that is the point." No one goes into teaching for the money but he's not being exploited either.
Anonymous
Post 02/01/2019 09:39     Subject: So this is where all the money is going at DC Charters?
Anonymous wrote:No, there just shouldn't be a period at the end. Enough with the conspiracy theories.

https://www.dcpcsb.org/report/school-budgets-fiscal-audits-and-990s


If you had not made this patently obvious observation, how many conspiracy theorists would have chimed in to say this is another example of charters not being transparent? Here is everything you need to know about the irrationality of this never-ending thread with "Charter BAD" people in a feedback loop.

There's a legitimate conversation to be had about charters, compensation, executive compensation, oversight, etc. But as long as you people keep up this type of behavior we won't have to have that conversation, because you destroy your credibility merely by opening your mouths.

I have to go now; have a meeting with my kid's charter school teachers to talk about what a great year its been and how well my kid is doing.
Anonymous
Post 02/01/2019 09:20     Subject: Re:So this is where all the money is going at DC Charters?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Just a mess...

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/its-absolutely-terrible-when-a-charter-school-closes-what-happens-to-the-kids/2019/01/31/d786350a-1a9e-11e9-88fe-f9f77a3bcb6c_story.html?utm_term=.fceec9aaef04

DC is way to small to have these small schools all over the place! There are not enough "high-level" kids to go around, seeing as the passing of PARCC and such is used to evaluate teachers and schools. Also, not enough money or resources to sustain schools in such small numbers beyond Pre-K and elementary. This whole Charter School experiment needs to be reevaluated, and yet every year new schools keep opening and then failing and then been given over to the major players like Kipp and Friendship. What a waste of resources, money, and the children's lives. Parents need to also start reading up on the schools they place their children in, not the glossy websites but the DCCSB data reports, some of them are terrible and the schools should have been closed along time ago. Chavez and Howard have been low-performing for years.


I’m not sure that Howard families see it that way. Look for more articles of surprise and pain next year when the charter board moves to close them.




I no you have to look at the whole school beyond test scores, but I'm not sure that folks also spend time reading the detailed reports and the comments by ex- and current teachers at glassdoor and indeed. You can tell the writing is on the wall at some schools just from this alone. Plus, go visit during off hours and see the interactions in hallways and classrooms other than your own. I know the same is true of DCPS schools too, but there is more monitoring overall! Regardless it is just sad for the kids who for the most part have built friendships and a sense of community at the schools.
Anonymous
Post 02/01/2019 05:00     Subject: Re:So this is where all the money is going at DC Charters?
Anonymous wrote:Just a mess...

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/its-absolutely-terrible-when-a-charter-school-closes-what-happens-to-the-kids/2019/01/31/d786350a-1a9e-11e9-88fe-f9f77a3bcb6c_story.html?utm_term=.fceec9aaef04

DC is way to small to have these small schools all over the place! There are not enough "high-level" kids to go around, seeing as the passing of PARCC and such is used to evaluate teachers and schools. Also, not enough money or resources to sustain schools in such small numbers beyond Pre-K and elementary. This whole Charter School experiment needs to be reevaluated, and yet every year new schools keep opening and then failing and then been given over to the major players like Kipp and Friendship. What a waste of resources, money, and the children's lives. Parents need to also start reading up on the schools they place their children in, not the glossy websites but the DCCSB data reports, some of them are terrible and the schools should have been closed along time ago. Chavez and Howard have been low-performing for years.


I’m not sure that Howard families see it that way. Look for more articles of surprise and pain next year when the charter board moves to close them.