I operate a consulting firm that helps schools in "trouble" get "out" But having worked for the local charter school resource center some years ago, I saw many schools that were founded on faulty premises, or had no clear conception as to how they would actually improve upon the public schools. Moreover, the DC resource center (now defunct) did nothing to assist schools when they were in trouble; the center was more of a political advocacy organization than an actual 'resource' specializing in academics and student achievement. The lack of sound planning and the experience to execute said plans with real students (and their parents) is a key issue regarding "failing" charters. When schools begin failing here in the District of Columbia, there is no entity offering assistance, unless they have the funding to pay a company like mine to help. This is tragic, because not all schools have the revenue to pay a firm to help. The charter authority here is quite adept at identifying deficits that schools possess. From where comes the actual help that schools need when they falter? My company doesn't want to put itself out of business :) but as an educator of long-standing, I would like to see a real center in each state offering a basic level of hands-on technical assistance to schools before they get too far off track. Some states have this (MA and NJ come to mind) Otherwise, we will have many more schools to fail, which in turn, hurts our kids, and the movement in general.
Posted as a reply to:
How do you define "success"? by Dan Quisenberry 
|
|
