Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Education / Kotz Please Don’t Loosen the Charter Schools Rules
Posted by Pete Kotz on Tue, Oct 14, 2008 at 12:23 PM
Comments (6)
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Part of the problem is that the 'fans of public education' who oppose charter schools use regulations to prevent any increase in the number of charter schools even though the ones in Nashville are, by your own judgement 'succeeding."
How about more charter schools like the ones we have?
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I would agree, Mark, though I think the reason they are succeeding is because the standards are so rigorous that it weeds out imposters, allowing only the strong to get through. Lower the standards, and I would imagine you'll see a corresponding decline in the quality of charter schools, like we've seen elsewhere. There are only so many people in this world capable of running a successful school. We've already screwed up urban education in so many cities that it's beyond repair. If Nashville's charter schools are actually working, I see no need to change the rules.
If Nashville's charter schools are actually working, I see no need to change the rules.
Because one of the rules says only children in NCLB failing schools can attend. Not sure about LEAD, but KIPP and Smithson-Craighead are overwhelmingly African American. Maybe we'd like a little diversity. Maybe some white families would like to go, but their zone public school just isn't bad enough. These schools are strong in part because, the board of ed, not the rules themselves, is tough about what it lets in. Loosen the rules and maybe more kids can go to these schools that you admit are succeeding. What's the problem with that?
