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More division in Indy
Indianapolis Public Schools continues to propose big operational changes that they say will save the cash-strapped district money, but also appear calibrated to cause division in a city attempting to build a new paradigm of educational cooperation. The latest: Discontinuation of the district/charter partnership called Innovation Schools. Shared services between IPS and the 30 non-district Innovation schools (facility use, transportation, etc.) will begin winding down soon, after more than 10 years of partnership. Brandon Brown, CEO of the Indy-based Mind Trust organization, responded to these moves in an op-ed this week. He reminds readers that the district shares more than just classroom space and school buses with charters in the Innovation partnership—they also share test scores and report cards. “Since 2021,” he writes, “independent and innovation charter schools have achieved significantly larger English language arts and math proficiency gains than IPS direct-run schools or the Marion County average across nearly every student group. For example, Black and Hispanic students at innovation charter schools achieved ELA gains at more than four times the rate of their peers at IPS direct-run schools.” Despite this fact, Indy district leaders still seem laser-focused on the money.
More drama in Oklahoma
The next step after a federal judge decided that Oklahoma cannot deny the application of a religiously-affiliated charter school solely because it would provide a faith-based education is set to take place next week. Ben Gamla Jewish Charter School’s application to start a virtual school will be back in front of the Statewide Charter School Board on Monday. There’s lots of inflammatory detail in this coverage, but the only thing that really matters is that the board is voting. It’s likely that legal wrangling will recommence immediately afterward, regardless of the tally.
New drama in North Carolina
A group of North Carolina charter schools whose state report card results were lower than expected due to changes in the way student retests are counted are trying to get some relief. They liken the situation to “changing the game midway through,” and note that many of the schools will face consequences from their authorizers if the lower scores stand. So far, they have been rebuffed by the Department of Public Instruction, but they and the North Carolina Charter Schools Review Board plan to persist in requesting changes.
Capital
The Progressive’s Public Schools Advocate project dug into the details of ACCEL Schools’ recent unsuccessful effort to buy a defunct college campus and launch a new charter school in Washington County, Wisconsin. They conclude that it was local residents’ fear of a connection between ACCEL and foreign private equity firms that supercharged their opposition to the move—rather than typical concerns about district competition—and that their opposition scuttled the deal. Hopefully that’s true, because competition is coming anyway: FaithRidge Christian School ultimately bought the college property and they are bringing their entire operation to the new site, planning to quadruple their enrollment.
Not all the news can be bad
We end this week with a nice profile of Portage Leadership Academy, a brand-new K-5 charter school in Ravenna, Ohio. “The biggest thing we really try to focus in on,” said principal Zack Penrod, “is the concept of leadership through character.” This approach comes honestly to Penrod, a retired U.S. Army captain. And while his staff is already on board, he knows that leading students in that direction is a work in progress. “Kids are kids,” he says. “They have emotions, they have feelings, and sometimes they don't make the right decision. Which is fair. It's my job to teach, coach and mentor them.” Here’s hoping for a successful inaugural year!
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