Trib finally notices charters

It's been a long time since the Tribune had a story on charter schools, but I'm glad to see them report on the National Alliance study on charter growth and enrollment throughout the country.

And, hey, I was even quoted in the piece, though I didn't speak to the reporter for the story. I'm sure I've said something like that in the past--not alleging any impropriety.

But by way of explanation, I support the current growth plan because I helped draft the policy and put it in place, and it's way better than what used to be there. It used to be that the legislature would come up with an arbitrary number for growth every year, running the risk that in a year like this one there would be no growth. We are very glad to have a growth plan in place so that charters can grow perpetually.

And, thanks again, Tribune, for writing about charters. We've had a lot of newsworthy events and developments over the past month that didn't make your notice, but welcome back to the party.

Rhode Island gets rid of assignment by seniority

Teachers in public schools have long reaped the advantages of union rules that make performance almost a non-issue when it comes to contract renewal or eligibility for promotion and sought-after assignments. Long service by teachers has almost nothing to do with quality instruction.

So Rhode Island's decision to get rid of seniority as a factor at all in teacher assignments is a really big deal, and that's why the Rhode Island teachers' unions are suing the state.

Check out a short video interview with RI's education commissioner here.

Exactly right

When I started reading this op-ed today I had skipped the byline, assuming it was an editorial board piece. As I got into it, I thought, "Was this written by Steve Winitzky?"

Turns out it was. He and Kim Frank wrote the exact editorial needed, pointing out that the State Board of Education's budget proposal cuts charter school students five times more than district students, that charter students are already under funded by over $500, and points out that the only fair way to fund education is to fund all students equally and from the same sources.

In tight budget times, wouldn't it be obvious to reduce the $109 million that districts have kept over ten years for students that they don't educate?

Deseret News covers charters

The DNews has consistently covered newsworthy stories about charter schools, while the Tribune has been missing the boat. There were real fireworks at last week's Charter Board meeting, which the Tribune missed--to their detriment. A cut to charter schools four times greater than cuts to other public schools is surely newsworthy. Also, the approval of only two new schools (rather than the up to 15 we've seen in recent years) is also big education news.

The DNews covers these items, and also argues against targeting charters with unfair budget cuts on their editorial page.

Quail Run continues to show how to get coverage

Being vocal and being unique are two things that Quail Run Primary School, opening in the fall of 2010, is leveraging in its favor to get favorable press coverage. I have posted previously about Quail Run here, and the coverage in the media keeps coming here.

State Board of Education budget would cripple charters

I'm glad to see that individuals from the State Board of Education and USOE clarified that their intent when cutting charter school funding by 23 percent wasn't designed to "hit charters harder" than traditional schools.

Forgive my snarkiness here, but when overall funding is cut by 2.6 percent, and charter funding is cut by 23 percent, doesn't that "obviously" hit charters harder? How do financial professionals miss that? How does the State Board?

The Deseret News has a piece today showing the massive impact such a disparate and unfair budget would have on charter schools. I'm glad to see the bureaucracy dialing back, saying things like, "the State Office of Education was unaware of the hardship the current plan forecasted for charter schools. It will be, however, a major point of discussion as the board refines the proposal."

(Again--how can you be unaware that a 23 percent cut will cause hardship?)

If the purpose was "to begin a conversation, not end one" as SBE Chair Debra Roberts said, wouldn't the conversation have started before the budget proposal was voted on and adopted? After the vote is already taken, are charters really "leaping to the conclusion" that charters were unfairly targeted for budget cuts?

By the way, over 100 comments already on the article's web page. Glad this is generating such readership.

My full thoughts on the ramifications of this budget proposal later.

Charter Board sends on only two of seven schools

Only two new charter schools were approved by the State Charter School board on Thursday, in a change from previous years when between five and seven schools were opened, and well below the 15 schools that opened in 2006.

Aspire Online Charter School and Good Foundations Academy were approved, and will not move on to the State Board of Education for its approval, and finally the schools need to be funded by the legislature (a new step this year).

Other schools were denied for a variety of reasons. Board Chair Brian Allen praised the concept and idea behind the schools, but cited budget, facility, and readiness concerns as to why five other considered applications were not approved.

By way of disclosure, I was a primary author of Aspire's charter application.

Great discussion at the Charter Board Meeting

I feel bad for Todd Hauber, an associate superintendent at USOE, who said he should have brought his flak jacket today.

As the board looked more and more at the numbers, it was more and more obvious how unfair the Board's budget proposal is. The State Board is requesting increases to funding for "all" schools, and carrying that load on the backs of charter school students.

• Funding for charters would be reduced by $300 per student more than district students.
• That would "save" $10 milion, or about 1/3 of 1 percent of WPU funding.
• In short, in order to save a $10 cut that is spread to all students statewide, the State Board of Education is putting that entire burden on charter school students, and requesting a cut of nearly $300.

This illustrates the horrible funding system currently in place that lends itself to political favoritism, putting systems and political interest groups ahead of students in school funding. Once again my mantra: all public school students should be funded equally and from the same sources regardless of the model of public school they attend.

I am very pleased with the entire Charter School Board today.

"Not overly concerned"

That's how State Charter Board Chair Brian Allen described news from earlier in the week that the State Board of Education's budget request to reduce charter local replacement funding by 23 percent.

It's early in the process, he said.

Todd Hauber, Associate Superintendent, addressed the Charter Board and explained the numbers. There will be a $293 million shortfall from current year to next year, assuming no new students and equal state revenues. Both of those are unlikely.

The budget outlook is bleak for next year.

**UPDATE**
Go Brian Allen. Here's a summary:

"Charter students are already funded at $500 less than district students. Now you are telling us that we will be taking another $300 cut. What you are saying is that you value children who attend charter schools $800 less than children who attend district schools." Wow. I bet that makes it in the paper tomorrow. Nice sound bites. Just what papers like to print.

Scott Smith: "This will shut down about a third of charter schools. The state would never consider shutting down a third of districts."

The state board is creating an "us and "them" environment, pitting charters against districts to fight for their very survival. The answer is to fund students equally and from the same sources no matter which model of public school they attend.

What to do with what works

NBC News has a great story about the success of charter schools, particularly an innovative program that "turns students from low income communities into high achievers." The achievement gap is closing in charter schools.

So what to do with such success? If you are the Utah State Board of Education, you propose to cut funding by 23 percent.

Want to have a heart attack?

On Friday the State Board of Education voted to approve a budget request that included a 23 percent cut for charter school students. I didn't find any news coverage of this. Instead the reports out of the State Board meeting were about a new policy for bullying and hazing.

Unlimited sharing or ownership of work product

Teachers are always encouraged to share their best practices so that the quality of instruction improves for all students. But who actually owns what teachers create for their classrooms? It's well established in law that the creations of people acting as agents for an organization belong to the organization.

So when does sharing violate a school's or a district's claim to its own intellectual property? The State Board of Education is trying to develop a rule, and KUER has a story on it.

One thing, though. I'll be you'd be hard pressed to find a teacher who thinks that her lesson plans aren't hers, but belong to her school. She plans to take her plans and creations with her if she ever gets another teaching job.

AMES among top schools in the state

Congratulations to the Academy for Math, Engineering, and Science. AMES is ranked as the number eight high school in the state by KSL. Walden and DaVinci also make the top 20.

Grand district finances hurting a lot

Grand District has a "surprise" shortfall of more than $2 million. The district is "seeking an explanation" and I would be, too.

"District officials learned of the deficit -- believed to be the fault of 'accounting errors' -- just six days ago. The full scope of the problem is still unknown."

I'd sure want to know who was responsible for that large of an "accounting error."

Don't want to be too hard here, though. I don't know what caused this, who made the error, whether there is any fraud involved (the article mentions nothing), or how it could have been prevented. Unfortunate circumstances could just as easily hit a charter school.

If this article had been about a charter school thought, we'd see an editorial in days (if the article itself wasn't one masquerading as news) about the need to tie charters' hands and restrict their funding. We don't see that here, which is proper because it appears to be an isolated incident.

My guess: this is a performance problem related to only a handful or fewer employees or contractors with the district.