How charter schools choose desirable students

[proud2BlibKansan]

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Students may be asked to submit a 15-page typed research paper, an original short story, or a handwritten essay on the historical figure they would most like to meet. There are interviews. Exams. And pages of questions for parents to answer, including: How do you intend to help this school if we admit your son or daughter?

These aren’t college applications. They’re applications for seats at charter schools.

These are some of the barriers to charter school admissions that Simon writes about in her story:

* Applications that are made available just a few hours a year.

* Lengthy application forms, often printed only in English, that require student and parent essays, report cards, test scores, disciplinary records, teacher recommendations and medical records.

* Demands that students present Social Security cards and birth certificates for their applications to be considered, even though such documents cannot be required under federal law.

* Mandatory family interviews.

* Assessment exams.

* Academic prerequisites.

* Requirements that applicants document any disabilities or special needs. The U.S. Department of Education considers this practice illegal on the college level but has not addressed the issue for K-12 schools.

more . . . http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2013/02/16/how-charter-schools-choose-desirable-students/

[Vincardog]

1. After that they ignore test results they don't like

[NYC_SKP]

2. Same article: "It should be noted that many charter schools do not engage in selective practices."

At least they're clear that these aren't universal conditions.

[proud2BlibKansan]

3. The fact that they are practices used ANYWHERE is a problem for me.

Public schools should NEVER discriminate against kids. All of these practices should be illegal and schools that do these things should be held accountable.

[NYC_SKP]

4. Unfortunately, people who don't know better take headlines at face value.

And then broadbrush all public charter schools with that same brush.

[proud2BlibKansan]

5. Same thing with traditional public schools.

And right here on DU, we have a few regulars who post every 'bad teacher/bad public school' article they can get their hands on.

As far as this particular article, these practices are indeed a reality in my city. I have several students in my class this year (and every year for the last decade) who have been pushed out or refused admittance to a charter. So it's my reality. Glad to hear not all charters play these games.

[Peregrine]

8. And every year I was with a charter

I had kids who were pushed out of the public schools. The parents had been given a choice of expulsion or withdrawal. So they moved the kid to the charter. And many of these kids were in gangs, so my school went from a well behaved and good achievement low income hispanic school to gangland.

When you read that a charter school did such-n-such, there are probably public schools doing the exact thing. In Orlando, a public high school (Jones) was persuading parents to withdraw their low achieving students and going to charters. Since this would happen after the October body count and before the February body count, the students wouldn't count against either school. A school's grade is based on only students that are at the same school in both body counts.

[proud2BlibKansan]

9. That illegal in the state where I teach

If you are expelled from a public school, you can't enroll in any other public school in the state, including the charter schools.

[noamnety]

10. And they get around that law

by telling students that if they don't leave the school, they will get expelled. So they never hit the point of being barred from all public schools - as long as they agree to switch to a charter before the paperwork is done. It's a fairly regular occurrence.

[proud2BlibKansan]

11. That's also illegal.

If a student commits an offense that requires expulsion, such as assault or bringing a weapon to school, the state law requires they be expelled. For the very reason you explained in your post - to prevent these violent and dangerous students from hopping from school to school.

So that does not happen where I teach. I know students who have been expelled who are even refused admission into GED programs.

[noamnety]

12. I'm guessing they ignore the law for one of two reasons.

Either because their records look better if students transfer out rather than get expelled, or because they are trying to find a way to not ruin a child's life, so they use the loopholes to allow them to continue school.

Sometimes counselors or principals at traditional public schools see where a student is headed and make a point of counseling them them out (and into a charter) before it gets to the inevitable point of expulsion.

[proud2BlibKansan]

14. Next time you're aware of any educator skirting the law, let me know.

I'll turn them in myself.

[noamnety]

15. I'm of two minds on it.

It's a shitty thing to do for a number of reasons.

I also think sometimes counseling a kid into a different environment CAN make a real difference. We've had some failures trying to save kids that were determined to go down the wrong path. And we've also had students talk about how coming to our school saved their life.

I'd almost rather there is a second chance for people even though the law doesn't allow it. Sometimes moving them out of their current environment can work - but traditional neighborhood schools without open enrollment don't seem to have enough provisions for that.

It's really frustrating also to be a teacher, you've probably run into this, and have a good kid get expelled under zero tolerance laws.

[Peregrine]

6. The charter I was with

Each child was worth $6700. They took all comers and the waiting list was based on the order they applied.

We had an 8th Grader that punched a female teacher and called her a bitch. The principal suspended him for 10 days and submitted expulsion documents to the county school board. The corporation ordered the principal to stop the expulsion and reduce the suspension. The kid ended up with a 3 day suspension. The teacher quit. Teachers were told that we could not fill out a referral on the student or send him to the office. The county notified the school, 1 more suspension and the student would be expelled. He came and went from classes as he felt and brought a pellet gun to school and shot two kids. Nothing. He was caught in the boys room smoking dope, nothing. He went through graduation (when did 8th grade graduation start?) walked across the stage with his arms raised in victory. Oh yes, he was a straight F student and got a 1 (lowest out of 5) on all 4 FCAT exams (readin, ritin, rithmatic, and science). We also had a 7th grader with the same privileges.

Every dollar counts. For every student: the corporation took 6.5% for corporate margin and profit, the county school district took 5% for administrative costs, and the charter board took 2.5% for administrative costs. So the school was getting $5760, then subtract $500 because Rick Scott cut the budget.

Oh and the district sets the student limit for each charter. There is some money from the state for capital costs, but the state's budget is divided evenly among all charter schools regardless of student population.

[duffyduff]

7. They do what they want because they are private schools.

Just because they steal public dollars doesn't make them any less private schools.

[Jefferson23]

16. My main concern is when are these practices which are far reaching beyond this problem

going to end? I don't see any prospects for change to respect teaching, to respect the profession and
to reward it because when you make the investment the return is priceless for society.

Once Obama has completed his second term, what will the Democratic platform look like under the
next candidate..the prospects seem bleak and I have to admit it freaks me out, more than a little.

K&R

[duffyduff]

17. They never will end as long as privatizers own both political parties

Neoliberals simply don't believe in public education. It's a waste of money to them.

[proud2BlibKansan]

18. And this should freak you out.

Wish more people were freaked out.