Another Charter School Succeeds by Failing


By DIA, Section News
Posted on Tue Feb 12, 2008 at 04:28:39 AM EST

One of the biggest positive attributes of the charter schools, according to their supporters, is that when the don't succeed they get shut down. Failure is the new success. Last year in Albany when the New Convenant school wasn't making money it was announced it would be shut down. Of course the bondholders didn't like that since they wouldn't get a return on their investment and thus the school stayed open. So, they failed to fail. Which was of course, success. We have another charter success story in Schenectady.
The International Charter School of Schenectady is fighting for its existence with the announcement Monday that the state's Charter School Institute is recommending that the school close at the end of the current school year.

Charter board President Tracy Petersen delivered the news to a crowd of about 30 parents at the board's regular meeting. She said the Charter School Institute told them it had to alert all parents to the recommendation, which was issued Friday in a draft report .

Petersen said letters are being sent home to parents of the 585 students who attend grades K-8 at the school located on Draper Avenue in Rotterdam. But she declined to provide details on why the institute is recommending the school close. She did say, however, that the institute is concerned the school is not meeting its enrollment requirements and therefore cannot financially sustain itself.
Couldn't make enough money and thus they will be closing up shop. Too bad about all those students who will be affected after believing all those promises. Ah well, that is why we have public schools, right?

Standard DIA Disclaimer: I'm opposed to the way that charter schools are funded and to the random way they are allowed to open in cities like Albany. If charter schools were more successful than public schools, I would have no problem with them and encourage any success. So far, reports have shown charter schools are not more successful than public schools but pretty much the same despite all of their advantages. Why is this? Because you can't fake teaching.

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Another Charter School Succeeds by Failing | 4 comments (4 topical, 0 hidden)
You are right, DIA... (none / 0) (#1)
by hawkny on Tue Feb 12, 2008 at 05:35:40 AM EST
The charter schools have "creamed" the public school student enrollments.

This has left the local public schools with a student population that is less receptive to the learning process and harder to manage.

Likewise the level of parental concern has dropped off. No one can blame a concerned parent for seeking better opportunities for their off spring. I would, for my kids.

None the less, the net impact of parental involvement within the public schools has diminshed. Many involved parents are now charter school activists.

Charter schools emanated from Bush's "no child left behind" initiative as an attack on the teacher unions, that opposed his 2000 campaign.

If, and when a Democrat returns to the White House as president, the "No Child Left Behind Act" will be shown for what is is...a subtle political ruse that, at its core, does not have attending students best educational interests in mind.

Actually DIA (none / 0) (#2)
by alfrednewman on Tue Feb 12, 2008 at 06:54:52 AM EST
I think that the pending closing of a charter school IS a sign that the system works.

The International Charter School's administration didn't do its job making sure the children were taught. The teachers didn't do a good enough job teaching children and as a result parents removed their children from the school. The school looses revenue and now may close.

Seems to me that this is a model that works. The organization doesn't perform, it closes. You dont do your job, you loose it.

I am sure that other charter schools are taking notice and will work that much harder to meet their expectations.

And how convenient that the Albany School District just recieved a notice for State Education saying that Livingston is under review and that the State is considering stepping in and shutting it down.

Lets see:
Charter school fails, administration and the teachers are all out of a job.

Albany Public School fails and the administration blames the charters and raises spending. The teachers who untimately could fake teaching still get their contract dictated raises.

How many Charter schools will end up closing?  I think that the better question is how many public schools have even been shut down.
"What? Me worry? " "whatmeworry.alfred@gmail.com"

Charter Schools are half-assed (none / 0) (#3)
by wredlich on Wed Feb 13, 2008 at 08:24:43 AM EST
It's a half-assed approach. If you believe in school choice, then you believe in broad voucher plans. If you don't believe in school choice, then you won't like charter schools either. Somehow we ended up with a compromise no one likes.
Albany Lawyer Warren Redlich Blog: Albany Lawyer Blog
Albany School District Imcompetent/Charter Schools (none / 0) (#4)
by radamus on Mon Feb 25, 2008 at 04:03:37 PM EST
The teachers unions are the Democratic Party equivalent of the Republican oil companies. I'm a Democrat, but I'm ashamed of the party for kowtowing to these dirt bags, and the Albany School Distict seems to get the dirtiest of the dirty dirt bags. I could go on for hours telling you stories about the mind boggling imcompetence and venality of these people. The only positive moves I've seen since I've been observing them have been a direct result of the No Child Left Behind Act and Charter Schools.

Another Charter School Succeeds by Failing | 4 comments (4 topical, 0 hidden)
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