Public school officials in Richmond and Columbia counties have added their voices to the establishment chorus against a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow charter school supporters, with state approval, to form schools over the objections of local school boards. Currently, parents and supporters who want to form public charter schools must go on bended knee to local school boards that quite often oppose them. A Georgia law providing charter school supporters a second chance at the state level was struck down by the Georgia Supreme Court. This amendment would fix that.
But notice the arguments that opponents of the amendment make: Allowing charter schools to pop up against the wishes of the local school board will undermine that board. It will “take kids away from our schools,” and “that’s less money for us.”
One Augusta school official, reported a Wednesday Chronicle story said, “the amendment could drain funds by diverting Richmond County students to schools where the district has no jurisdiction.” Notice it’s all about the impact on the bureaucracy and its “jurisdiction.” Not about what’s best for kids.
If kids would be better off in a charter school, that’s apparently secondary to what’s best for the public education bureaucracy.
Beyond all the establishment’s sky-will-fall rhetoric are a few important truths.
First, the amendment must be approved by Georgia voters. Second, all it would do is set up a way for determined citizens to appeal local school boards’ refusal to allow a charter school; the school would still have to be approved by the state.
Most importantly, it’s time we took the shackles off disadvantaged children. Their more well-to-do peers already have school choice. It’s the poor kids who are told where to go, sometimes to schools that are failing them. Sadly, graduation rates often show it.
The beauty of charter schools is that the creators and parents can fashion a public school around challenging, often specialized, curricula and avoid many of the one-size-fits-all rules, regulations and approaches of a district. In such cases, lights are shined on both the schools and the students, and accountability can be greatly enhanced on all parts.
How can that be seen, except from a bureaucrat’s viewpoint, as a bad thing? Undermine the district? Absolutely — in the same way Hardee’s “undermines” McDonald’s.
How can we tell our kids that competition is healthy in athletics, but that when it comes to academics, competition “undermines” the status quo?
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"Most importantly, it’s time we took the shackles off disadvantaged children. Their more well-to-do peers already have school choice. It’s the poor kids who are told where to go, sometimes to schools that are failing them. Sadly, graduation rates often show it."
Students have every ability to succeed in the Cobb County School System. Having seen first hand the varying degrees of parental involvement in over a dozen CCSD schools, it is not the schools who should shoulder most of the blame. The mechanisms are there to learn. Most of these failing children have families who have decided they don't want the education.
Aim legislation at having parents fulfill their obligations and graduation rates will go up.
The state has consistently reduced its share of funding, forcing local districts to make up the difference. Some localities have been able to absorb these cuts, others have not, particularly small rural systems, which has, in effect, created a two-tiered education system in our state. Per pupil cost of educating students has indeed risen significantly over the past 20 years, largely due to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This law requires all public schools to provide a Free and Appropriate Education to all students, regardless of their abilities/disabilities. It is extremely expensive to educate children with severe and profound disabilities. Imagine a district which must provide services to non-verbal autistic children, for example. This requires a specially trained lead teacher, multiple paraprofessionals, as well as providing occupational and physical therapy, adaptive technology, etc., etc. The cost of educating these children can easily surpass $20,000 a year. Charters are not required to take any of these students.
Does anyone really think the money you as an individual pay annually includes enough property, sales, state taxes to fully fund the education of ONE child, let alone multiple children? Next there will be homeschooling parents demanding a property tax refund for not sending their kids to a charter or public school. Charters aren’t required to hire certified teachers. Public education is a bargain, when compared to private alternatives.
What will happen next is private schools converting to charters to get in on the education fund grabbing. What is really happening here is a shameful attempt by state legislators, (Rogers, Erhart and Setzler) to snag state funds to pay for their children's private education.
And to address the MDJ's claim that no one is talking about our kids, the previous poster had it exactly right; the proposed amendment is not aimed at raising student achievement in Georgia. That study mentioned above speaks to charter schools not serving students as well as public schools. The legislators are screaming about parental rights, what about the parental right to hold these charter schools acountable; academically and monetarily? So quick to fund Charter schools, where in the heck is the funding for public schools? When will Georgia Legislators make that commitment?