Posted on 06/05/2008 6:19:14 AM PDT by wintertime
The report I saw in the WAPO referred to start up costs, not annual costs. Some charters borrowed hundreds of thousands of dollars to renovate, purchase computers, provide field trips, recruit teachers, everything a school needs. Now these schools are closing and the loans for these schools will be repaid by the DC public school system. There have been at least 4 schools where the founders took out close to a million dollars, folded the school in a few years, defaulted on the loans, placing the school system on the hook --- then, you'll love this -- REOPENED under a new name and a new charter with ANOTHER million dollars in loans!
I don't' know about you, but I'm SHOCKED (sarcasm off) that DC officials can't keep track of finances. I bet more money is wasted every in the Washington DC government than is spent wisely.
The article that you posted had no information about the start up costs of the charter schools.
Also, from the article it appears that the government and charter schools are performing equally badly.
Ah! But...The real test is to see how are students performing after they have been in the charters 3 or more years compared to the same grade of students in the government schools. Have the students who have been in charter schools improved?
Obviously, both charter and government schools may never be up to standard. The charter schools have children who are just as disadvantaged as the government schools. The only relevant statistic is do these children improve after 3 or more years, more so than if they had gone to the government schools.
Why should government school systems be acting as banks?
Who finances the start up cost of a charter school is a red herring and has absolutely nothing to do with whether students thrive better in charters or government schools. Also, you are ignoring parental satisfaction with their school. Gee! As if that should count for nothing.
Why am I surprised that the D.C. school district in an incompetent banker?
“The report I saw in the WAPO referred to start up costs, not annual costs. Some charters borrowed hundreds of thousands of dollars to renovate, purchase computers, provide field trips, recruit teachers, everything a school needs.”
No, I got it the first time. The fact is that these costs occur on an on-going basis in the rest of the school system. Non-charter public schools in Washington, DC need money to renovate, purchase computers, provide field trips, recruit teachers, as well.
And the total spending per student per year for all costs, operating and capital, is about $25,000 per year per student, although something like about $5,000 per year per student is absorbed by “special needs” kids.
If a charter school borrowed “hundreds of thousands of dollars,” as you say, or even all of a million dollars for, let's say, 200 kids in a single school, that comes to $5,000 per child. Just a small part of what the DC public schools spend EVERY YEAR on EVERY CHILD.
Like I said, that there are many failures in the DC public school isn't the amazing part. It's that there are any successes. And there have been charter school successes.
That charter schools have been run corruptly is hardly something that should be news to anyone. A system that spends $25,000 per child per year and provides the absolute worst education in the United States is obviously more corruption than education.
sitetest
When I have the strength in my wrists (carpal tunnel) I will list how to run a sped scam in DC and how much money is available for the taking. All federal tax dollars btw. It's easier than you think and the DC public schools are currently incapable of even putting a bandaid on the problem.
That said, I know from a meeting I attended last month with Chancellor Rhee (I was in the audience, not one on one) she is aware of the problem, but is so overwhelmed with more important problems. IF she can last, this is probably 18 months down the road to making the papers big time. A bit of it has been exposed, but unless you know special education law, then the magnitude of the manipulation can't be fathomed.
“If I had the time, I could regale you with stories of the deep corruption in the special education system alone. It is far, far worse than you can possibly imagine. I know you think it's bad, but you haven't the capacity to know how bad.”
No need. The numbers speak for themselves.
But it's not just in the special education system. It's the entire system. Even completely ignoring all the money spent on the special education stuff (which is nearly 20% of the school budget spent on less than 3% of the enrolled students - so that gives an idea of how bad it is), the school system is spending more than $20K per year per student, in total.
Obviously, the kids aren't getting anywhere near $20K worth of education per year. It's clear that something more than half of the money in the DC schools NOT spent on special ed kids is being stolen.
sitetest
I don’t know if you are close enough to DC to get DC stations - but have you ever seen the commercials that say “Do you have a child in the DC public school system who is having academic trouble or even failing a grade? Call this number for free assistance.” That is where the whole scam starts.
Other than WETA, I don't usually listen to any Washington, DC radio stations. And I'm not sure that the shysters who advertise thusly really view the folks who listen to classical music as their target audience.
sitetest
Nope, no ads on WETA - but plenty on TV during the day. And there is a reason why the ads say “DC public schools” and not “Prince George’s County” or “Alexandria City” or “Arlington County” even though those areas serve a similar population. Those districts have a working special education department.
PING - charter schools work.
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