tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458172893016186479.post8751469242903443238..comments2024-03-09T03:28:44.216-05:00Comments on Thoughts on Education Policy: Is it Easier to Close a Charter School?Corey Bunje Bowerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09764159604965707919noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458172893016186479.post-13975409105711519352009-03-05T07:12:00.000-05:002009-03-05T07:12:00.000-05:00As you suggest, it is a complicated issue; in theo...As you suggest, it is a complicated issue; in theory, it's easier to close a charter school than a district school.<BR/><BR/>But the main reason more charter schools that are underperforming aren't closed isn't about more-active parents (in my experience charter schools do more to engage parents once they are in the door, so any unscientific assertion that charters a priori attract more active parents is just someone's opinion, which is worth about as much as mine, which isn't worth much without data); ahem, back to my original point, the main reason is disorganized and/or gutless authorizers. Quality authorizing, which includes shutting down schools when appropriate, is an assumption in the state charter laws. There are good authorizers and bad authorizers. The bad ones have few consistent metrics by which they measure schools, have high turnover in decision making staffing positions, and don't take the time to understand the missions of the schools under their aegis. The good ones know when to pull the plug, because they have reached a degree of certainty with their expectations and their methods. <BR/><BR/>No one seems to be talking about this issue, and that's a travesty.KitchenSinkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06443918139924722070noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458172893016186479.post-5620038745892502602009-03-03T22:14:00.000-05:002009-03-03T22:14:00.000-05:00Roger: I agree that formal teaching credentials ar...Roger: I agree that formal teaching credentials are unimportant. As a former teacher, I taught in private schools before receiving my state teaching credential and taught in public school after receiving it. Didn't see much difference in my teaching pre- or post-program. Still had the same strengths and weaknesses as a teacher in private school or in public school. I personally think teaching credentials as such should be abandoned. They provide an unnecessary barrier to entry to the profession with no particular value (especially for people trying to become teachers after graduating from college; e.g., career-switchers).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458172893016186479.post-87104251592399676522009-03-03T20:08:00.000-05:002009-03-03T20:08:00.000-05:00Oh, my God!!!!!!! Uncredentialed teachers? Which...Oh, my God!!!!!!! Uncredentialed teachers? Which is more important, the second highest student performance in the district or the fact that some teachers haven't spent the requisite amount of time in--and paid the requisite amount of money to--ed schools.<BR/><BR/>I suppose the answer is obvious.Roger Sweenyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12734128265493099062noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458172893016186479.post-162296149638117222009-03-03T13:53:00.000-05:002009-03-03T13:53:00.000-05:00No. But it's quite obvious that I should spend mo...No. But it's quite obvious that I should spend more time reading and less time blogging.Corey Bunje Bowerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09764159604965707919noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458172893016186479.post-5139762036335827662009-03-03T12:27:00.000-05:002009-03-03T12:27:00.000-05:00Have you read Sy Fliegel's book about the Spanish ...Have you read Sy Fliegel's book about the Spanish Harlem middle-school choice program? One of the issues he addresses explicitly is closing down programs.Sherman Dornhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00491045214079619658noreply@blogger.com