New report on the emergence of non-district authorizers
Over the last five years, a significant shift has occurred within the national charter school landscape: for the first time, most new charter schools are being authorized by entities other than local school districts. If this trend continues, it could have both positive and negative implications for the pace of charter school growth, quality of charter schools, quality of oversight, and attributes of newly approved schools. The National Association of Charter School Authorizers’ (NACSA) new report examines this shift.
The myth of Ohio’s “for profit” charter school system
Gallons of ink have been spilled documenting the missteps of a few Ohio for-profit charter operators. Unfortunately, as Aaron Churchill explains, the high-profile controversies surrounding these politically active titans have stoked a narrative that paints all charters as “corporatizers” out to make a buck. Churchill argues that the for-profit narrative is both misleading and not particularly helpful if the true goal is student achievement.
Top charter school networks share college completion success tips
Education writer Richard Whitmire explains in an op-ed this week how charter schools have developed a way to help more low-income students finish college. Top charter networks that he’s studied post college graduation rates 3 to 5 times higher than schools serving similar students. Despite this success and the willingness of charters to share what they’ve learned, traditional district schools have been slow to adopt these innovations.
All Sides with Ann Fisher: The Rise and Fall of ECOT
On Tuesday, Ann Fisher hosted a conversation on ECOT, its legacy, and what it means for the future of online education in Ohio. Ann’s guests were Patrick O’Donnell from the Plain Dealer, Innovation Ohio’s Stephen Dyer, The Ohio State University’s Dr. Kui Xie, and Fordham’s Chad Aldis. You can access the full segment here.
A reminder: School Performance Institute workshop
Are you a school leader interested in purposefully designing your school for improvement? If yes, you should check out the School Performance Institute’s upcoming workshop. The institute gives you the opportunity to visit a high-performing charter school to observe how the school has been purposefully designed to get results in a high-poverty context using proven methods and discuss concrete ways to apply these ideas in your own school. Register here, if interested, or contact John A. Dues for more information.
* * * * *
Did you know you could have every edition of Ohio Charter News delivered right to your Inbox? You can subscribe by clicking here.
