duncan using $310 million to fund PR & fundraising for charter schools in 2011

[Hannah Bell]

Be prepared for lots more stealth advertising and public promotion of the so-called "charter school model" and spinning the supposed superiority of privately-managed charters over all other public schools. Why? Duncan's DOE is doling out more than $250 million this year, going up to $310 million in 2011, to state ed agencies to be used, in large part, to pay charter cheerleaders, lobbying groups and state charter associations for the dissemination of PR about the charter model.

"The purpose of the Charter Schools Program is to increase financial support for the startup and expansion of these public schools, build a better national understanding of the public charter school model , and increase the number of high-quality public charter schools across the nation. (Ed.gov)"

Questions for Duncan:

1) Is there really such a thing as a "charter school model"? Never mind, I'll answer--uh uh.
2) Isn't the public already being flooded with propaganda, paid for by mega-foundations like Broad, Gates, and Walton, aimed at undercutting most major studies showing that charters, as a group (some great charter schools not withstanding), fail to outperform other public schools, as a group?
3) Is it really the role of the DOE to divert millions of badly-needed public ed dollars, to promote privately-managed charters over other public schools and to pit one "model" over the other without any basis in research?

http://michaelklonsky.blogspot.com/2010/08/pushing-so-called-charter-model.html


you don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows

[madfloridian]

1. Kick and rec.

Infuriating using our taxmoney that way.

[Angry Dragon]

2. Hop on the charter school train and pay the fees

don't know where it is going but who cares as long as it speeds along


Tired of all this bull ........... I look at it as dumbing down America

[msongs]

3. Duncan is only doing what he is told do by his boss (you know who that is) nt

[femmocrat]

15. I wonder if it's the other way around.

After hearing the President's recent speech on education, in which he refused to moderate his policies, I really wonder if he is listening to Duncan TOO much, instead of the teachers unions who disagree with him.

[Hannah Bell]

4. k

[nc4bo]

5. Obscene. nt

[City Lights]

6. K&R

:mad:

[Starry Messenger]

7. And let me guess...

they won't have to compete with each other for it either. How many teachers could we retain in their jobs with 310 million?

[johnaries]

8. What percentage of public charter schools are privately managed?

[msanthrope]

9. Here's a link to the actual grant guidelines. Only 10% of monies can go to dissemination.

Here's the actual grant for Public charter schools.

CFDA Number: 84.282
Program Type: Discretionary/Competitive Grants
Also Known As: Charter Schools, Public Charter Schools Program, CSP


PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

This program provides financial assistance for the planning, program design, and initial implementation of charter schools, and the dissemination of information on charter schools. Grants are available, on a competitive basis, to SEAs in states that have charter school laws; SEAs in turn make subgrants to developers of charter schools who have applied for a charter. If an eligible SEA elects not to participate or if its application for funding is not approved, the Department can make grants directly to charter school developers.


TYPES OF PROJECTS

An eligible applicant that receives a grant or subgrant may use the funds only for post-award planning and design of the education program of a charter school. It may carry out such activities as the refinement of the desired education results, the refinement of the methods for measuring progress toward achieving those results, and the initial implementation of the charter school. Implementation may include informing the community about the charter school and acquiring necessary equipment, materials, and supplies. Other eligible operational costs that cannot be met by state and local sources also may be covered. A state may reserve up to 10 percent of its allocation to support eligible charter schools for dissemination activities.


Additional Information

The Public Charter Schools Program supports the planning, development, and initial implementation of charter schools. Charter schools provide enhanced parental choice and are exempt from many statutory and regulatory requirements. In exchange for increased flexibility, charter schools are held accountable for improving student academic achievement. The objective is to replace rules-based governance with performance-based accountability, thereby stimulating the creativity and commitment of teachers, parents, and citizens.

snip--more at link

http://www2.ed.gov/programs/charter/index.html


******************

Here's the states that got grants this year--for PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS.

"U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan today announced the award of 12 charter school grants, totaling $136 million to state education agencies in Arkansas, California, Colorado, the District of Columbia, Georgia, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and Texas to increase public school options in those states.

The Administration will invest more than $256 million this year to assist in the planning and implementation of public charter schools and dissemination of their successful practices through the Charter Schools Program. President Barack Obama's fiscal year 2011 budget request includes a $54 million increase in the Charter Schools Program, providing $310 million and representing another step toward meeting the Administration's commitment to double financial support for the program during the President's term.

The purpose of the Charter Schools Program is to increase financial support for the startup and expansion of these public schools, build a better national understanding of the public charter school model, and increase the number of high-quality public charter schools across the nation.

More information about the Charter Schools Program is available from the Education Department's Office of Innovation and Improvement at:

www2.ed.gov/programs/charter/index.html.

http://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/us-department-education-awards-136-million-charter-school-grants-states-increase

[Hannah Bell]

10. It's $310 MILLION funding the PLANNING, DESIGN, IMPLEMENTATION & PUBLICITY FOR NEW CHARTER SCHOOLS.

What the hell don't you get?

[msanthrope]

11. Um, I just read the actual grant guidelines....not a blog post.

As I noted, there's a specific limit on money spent for 'dissemination', which is a concern you raised in your OP. So I followed the links to the actual grant.


I also really like these aspects of the grants---


"In awarding grants, the Department must give preference to States that have multiple chartering agencies (or an appeals process for prospective charter schools that initially fail to be approved by a single agency), that ensure accountability of public charter schools for reaching clear and measurable objectives, and that give public charter schools a high degree of autonomy over their budgets and expenditures.

In addition, States may reserve up to 10 percent of their grant for dissemination sub-grants to spread lessons learned form high-quality charter schools with a demonstrated history of success to other public schools, including other public charter schools, about how to create and sustain high-quality, accountable schools."

http://www2.ed.gov/programs/charter/index.html

[Hannah Bell]

12. um, i just read the grant guidelines too. and despite your apologist smokescreen, the $310 mill

is for:

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR THE PLANNING, PROGRAM DESIGN, AND INITIAL IMPLEMENTATION OF CHARTER SCHOOLS AND THE DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION ON CHARTER SCHOOLS.

IOW, IT'S ALL MONEY TO ENCOURAGE THE START-UP OF NEW CHARTER SCHOOLS. THAT "ONLY" $31 MILLION OF THE $310 MILLION CAN GO TO "DISSEMINATION" IS IRRELEVANT.

That's $310 million that could be funding schools instead of rich assholes who want to start more charter schools. which is where the money's going to go, to more rich assholes.

corrupt as hell.

[msanthrope]

17. Are you okay? You seem stressed.

So far, nothing you've posted indicates to me that President Obama and his DOE is doing anything I didn't elect them to do.

I think a 10% allocation for dissemenation of successful programs is fine.

I think allowing states and parents different choices is a great thing.

I think calling all people involved in charter schools "rich assholes" is rather broad brush...and ultimately, alienates those who would best be sought as allies.

[Hannah Bell]

20. i think giving $310 million so rich assholes can plan & publicize more charter schools, when public

schools are being starved of funds & teachers laid off -- is criminal.

are you ok? you seem confused.

[msanthrope]

21. Actually, since it also covers start-up costs, I think it's a great idea.

"It may carry out such activities as the refinement of the desired education results, the refinement of the methods for measuring progress toward achieving those results, and the initial implementation of the charter school. Implementation may include informing the community about the charter school and acquiring necessary equipment, materials, and supplies. Other eligible operational costs that cannot be met by state and local sources also may be covered.

http://www2.ed.gov/programs/charter/index.html

[Hannah Bell]

22. yes, charter school proponents *would* think it's a good idea to funnel public money to rich

assholes to start up new charter schools.

[femmocrat]

13. This is the part that jumps out at me:

"Charter schools provide enhanced parental choice and are exempt from many statutory and regulatory requirements. In exchange for increased flexibility, charter schools are held accountable for improving student academic achievement. The objective is to replace rules-based governance with performance-based accountability, thereby stimulating the creativity and commitment of teachers, parents, and citizens."

:::::

I want to know how endless drilling for standardized tests "stimulates the creativity and commitment of teachers" --- and why the Dept. of Ed. thinks that the public school teachers lack creativity and commitment? And how is being "exempt from many statutory and regulatory requirements" a good thing??? Lord knows there is no end to the regulation of public education.

:banghead:

[Catshrink]

14. Yeah, right. In Arizon they're only "held accountable" every 15 years

for their charter reviews. Meanwhile, real public schools have 38 kids in a class if they're lucky.

[Starry Messenger]

18. Evidently we're just dullard functionaries.

You have to be really creative and committed to teach with the tiny to nonexistent funds we're allotted in the classroom. I'd love Arne Duncan to have to teach a week on my job. Though I would feel bad for my kids to have to put up with him...

[msanthrope]

19. Well, you've highlighted a great issue there....

Should parents be able to choose between traditional public school models where statutory and regulatory oversight is high, but academic/performance accountability may be low?

Or the public school charter, where the reverse is true?

(granted, I'm using broad sweeps here, but go with me for a sec.)

You have two basic models in a market economy....should not parents be able to choose what they feel would be best for their kids, and, should we not then allow the teachers to choose their careers as they wish? Teachers choose to teach at charters, so some of them must enjoy the structure.

Or must the teaching profession conform to only one model, i.e., the public school, unionized model? Are you making a value judgment that that is the 'right' way to be a teacher?

[Hannah Bell]

23. lol. five national studies report no significant differences between public & charter school

results on average.

except that charters are more segregated by race & class.

accountability, my ass.

[girl gone mad]

16. The predator class sees another public treasure chest to loot.

It will be next to impossible to pry their greedy hands out now.

The President is certainly happy to let them pillage in peace.