Charter Schools work in Massachusetts

Ten years since Massachusetts passed an education reform bill known as the Massachusetts Education Reform Act (MERA), Phoenix Academies has tried to bridge the gap for those who drop out of school or those who underperform. According to 2006 statistics, almost 11,000 students dropped out of high school, and by 2015, that number was 5,000 dropouts. Graduation rates in 2015 did not go beyond 72% and in one immigrant-heavy part of Massachusetts known as Chelsea, the graduation rate was 63% in 2015.

According to the Pioneer Institute, "between 2008 and 2011…In all but one of those years, 100 percent of graduates [of Phoenix Academies in Massachusetts] applied and were accepted to a post-secondary institution." Additionally, the case study noted, "Forty-nine students, or 80 percent of all graduates between 2008 and 2011, enrolled in some form of college." Of the 20 students who graduated in 2013, 80% finished their first year of college education.

The Republican Town Committee in my tiny MA town hosted a forum on this referendum question.

Three panelists showed up — two against Charter Schools, and one in favor (it was like a Trump debate where the other side just gets more players).

The anti-Charter people said that the referendum would suck money out of public schools and put kids at risk.
The pro-Charter school guy said “Read the law”, it actually GIVES more money to the public schools if kids leave to go to a Charter school.
The anti-Charter school people responded: “It takes money from public schools.”

The pro-Charter guy acknowledged that government spending for education would go up and so either taxes would go up or other spending would be cut. But the reason either of those things would happen is because GOVERNMENT SPENDING ON EDUCATION WOULD GO UP.

The anti-Charter school people responded: “It takes money from public schools.”

The whole issue is that standard public schools are owned by the teachers unions and the Charter schools do not require teachers to join a union. That’s the only reason Charters are “bad”.

Charter schools, also educational vouchers, give freedom and power to the parents. These options are freedom-friendly. The current dominant government school system gives power to the educational establishment (EE).

The EE will always work for themselves first. They have little reason to fear losing business, as they are in charge and have the deck seriously stacked in their favor.

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