newsobserver.com projects - Charter cap could cost N.C. - Comments

Re: Charter cap could cost N.C.

MattM — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 16:43:07 -0400

The primary concern of public schools should be the students, not teacher's jobs. Opening up the cap will force the administrators to be smarter with their decisions and I don't see that as a bad thing. The public schools and charter schools can then learn from each other.

Unless you just want to continue making the actual education of young people the second, third, fourth, or fifth priority. Even Obama recognizes the valuable role charter schools can play as an addition, not a replacement.

Re: Charter cap could cost N.C.

PaulTerrell — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 16:23:58 -0400

Hey Mr. Protzman, where is your statement on failing public schools. I think we need to put a cap on public schools until they are all awesome. I mean come on how ridiculous is both your statement and that one? I do not hear from you about closing failing public schools or limiting the number of public schools.

Overall Charter Schools outperfom public schools with less. Per student public schools get much more than Charter Schools per student. And the Charter Schools do much better.

Measured Investment? Oh come on Mr. Protzman, come clean and say how you really feel about Charter Schools. The statistics prove Charter Schools are overall superior to public schools. What are you afraid of, some real competition?

Re: Charter cap could cost N.C.

factsversefallacy — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 15:59:46 -0400

Because the current system of accountability in place for public schools is resulting in such great results...

Do Charter Schools Perform Better Than Traditional Public Schools?
EdSource Study Says…It Depends

This study shows that Charter schools DO perform better on the middle and high school level...

NC's Charter School Report Card

This shows that our charter schools face strong accountability standards and over 30 schools have closed because of poor performance!

Boston's Democratic Mayor even recognizes the need for MORE

factsversefallacy — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 15:55:58 -0400

Tom Menino, the longtime Democratic mayor of this city, is not known for rocking the boat or for eloquence. But earlier this month he stunned many in the city when he gave a powerful speech about school reform.

Charter Schools Win a High-Profile Convert

Re: Charter cap could cost N.C.

factsversefallacy — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 11:40:54 -0400

NCAE, whose parents organization is NAE, is a union - plain and simple - semantics semantics!

Union representing teachers in the state. Affiliated with the NEA.

This is what it says when you do a Google search and the results pop up!

Re: Charter cap could cost N.C.

PJLofWake — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 11:31:19 -0400

NCAE's position paper on Charter Schools:
http://www.ncae.org/Images/Users/7/Charter%20School%20Position%20Paper.pdf
BTW, "A" stands for Association not "UNION"

PS

James_Protzman — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 10:52:16 -0400

I forgot to mention, I am a supporter of measured investment in charter schools, though I oppose increasing the cap. We already have plenty of under-performing charter schools in North Carolina. Until we have a system to make sure there's accountability, we shouldn't raise the cap. Legislation that would increase the cap by 6 schools is silly.

Charters perform no better

James_Protzman — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 10:50:14 -0400

According to a recent report by the leading advocacy group for charter schools, they performed no better than public schools.

Re: Charter cap could cost N.C.

factsversefallacy — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 10:25:08 -0400

Considering our teachers are being fired and we are facing tax increases to "save the teachers," then this should be an easy sell to allow more charter schools...

Does anyone know if kids perform better in public schools or charter schools?

I wonder if the teachers union will support this idea to expand the number...I think I know the answer...

Charter cap could cost N.C.

bniolet — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 07:13:22 -0400

A federal stimulus program called "Race to the Top" could mean hundreds of millions of dollars for North Carolina's cash-strapped public schools.

But the state may be hobbled at the starting gate because North Carolina's cap on the number of charter schools could work against it.

"Charters (are) a high priority for President (Barack) Obama," said Justin Hamilton, a spokesman for the U.S. Department of Education. "States that limit them put themselves at a strategic disadvantage in applying."

Under the federal stimulus program, the education department has nearly $4.4 billion in "Race to the Top" money for states that show innovation in education. Education officials call it the federal government's "largest one-time investment in K-12 public school reform."

States will be invited to submit proposals this fall. A handful will win grants early next year.

"You can bet your bottom dollar I have a team trying to get the money for North Carolina," Gov. Beverly Perdue told a Charlotte workshop on stimulus money this month.

In a conference call with reporters this month, U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan said, "States that do not have public charter laws or put artificial caps on the growth of charter schools will jeopardize their applications under the Race to the Top Fund."

North Carolina is one of 40 states that allow charters, and one of 26 that cap the number.

The current cap is 100, though at least two bills in the General Assembly would raise it. One measure that passed the House would put it at 106; the bill is in a Senate committee. (Char-O)