Busting the “big lie” about charter schools
David Osborne, education leader at the Progressive Policy Institute and author of the book Reinventing America’s Schools, opined in the Wall Street Journal this week against the idea that charter schools drain funding from traditional district schools. It’s an important myth to bust as another Democratic presidential candidate has added it to her talking points recently.
Changing perceptions at home?
Some of the typical charter school myths persist in the margins of this story, looking at the training, work, and day-to-day experiences of online charter school teachers in Ohio. But overall the teachers profiled here are clearly well-trained, dedicated, engaged professionals working hard for the success of their students.
Best of Chicago
The president of the Illinois Network of Charter Schools, Andrew Broy, opined in Crain’s Chicago Business that the city’s charter schools represent some of the best educational opportunities available for students and families. KIPP One, on Chicago’s West Side, earned the highest rating this year among all 642 schools in the city. And that was just one example.
Arts and smarts
Menlo Park Academy was profiled this week on the website Freshwater Cleveland, a site dedicated to stories of the great things going on in Northeast Ohio. Menlo Park is the Buckeye State’s only charter school dedicated to serving academically gifted students, but this piece is a little different. It looks at a group of students using their art talents to help create in-store signage for a local grocery store…learning the ropes of food marketing and business along the way.
Charter leaders of color leading the way
NAPCS, in partnership with Public Impact, released the second in a series of reports highlighting the experiences of school leaders of color in charter schools across the country. The new release highlights two leaders of schools in Washington, D.C. and Houston, as well as a network leader with schools in Los Angeles and Kansas City. They describe their work to engage families as active partners in their children’s education.
News you can use from ODE
Two important notices from the Ohio Department of Education this week. First up, the new Challenged School District list is now available on their website. That is, communities within whose boundaries start up charter schools are allowed to open starting in the 2020-2021 school year. Second, a reminder that a change in state law now requires every school district to offer unused school facilities for lease or sale to charter or STEM schools if they have not been used for school operation for the past year.
