Charter School Failures in Ohio

[Mott the Hoople]

I hate to be one who said "I told you so" but the 15 year experiment with charter schools has been a glaring failure in this state. This past year alone 17 Charter Schools have failed. By fail I don't mean that they haven't met expectations for student achievement I mean they went belly up. Closed their doors. Went kaput! Many for unexceptable reasons. Most of these have been operated by for profit companies who have taken $7 billion dollars in profits outside the state. These schools are commonly failing for reasons of poor financial management and in many cases unsanitary conditions.

That's just the ones that have gone belly up. They are failing terribly in academic achievement too. Of the current 85 Charter schools in the State 83 were rated as the worst 84 schools in the State. 87% of Charter schools in the State are rated at a D or an F in meeting the State performance standards. Not one Charter School fell into the States three top rankings. Not one! 92% of the States public schools scored effective or higher on the annual report card. Only 26% of Charter Schools did.

So the question is, is it time to stop the hemoraghing of puplic and community money that has goneinto the failed Charter School experiment in this State? $7 billion dollars is a lot of money and it is money that is badly needed by communities to support their public schools. Fifteen years is plenty of time to try the Charter School experiment. It's time to stop throwing good money after bad on a failed experiment and time to begin evaluating new ideas that may actually work.

http://dianeravitch.net/2013/09/24/the-failure-of-charter-schools-in-ohio-7-billion-later/
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/01/...rter-school-failures-is-unnerving-proponents/
http://www.limaohio.com/news/local_news/article_44b6ab24-26e4-11e2-ae24-0019bb30f31a.html
http://www.ohio.com/news/failing-charter-schools-often-close-reopen-with-little-change-1.426798
http://www.plunderbund.com/2013/08/...s-ohios-charter-school-experiment-has-failed/
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ohio/201...still-traditional-public-schools-vs-charters/
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ohio/201...-local-schools-urban-parents-start-their-own/
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ohio/2011/10/12/charters-schools-part-iii-cashing-in-on-education/
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ohio/2011/10/19/sortable-table-ohio-charter-school-performance-and-costs/

 

[Billy the Great Khan]

"School failures in Ohio"

Who would've fucking thought...

 

[Canceled.2014.2]

I am not so sure that it is a totally failed idea. My son goes to a very good Charter School, the Arts And College Prep Academy over by Hamilton road. They have very high test scores, and they do a fantastic job with students. But in a lot of ways they are the exception rather than the rule.

I think a lot of Republicans dislike teachers and schools because teachers are unionized, and represent a major source of funding for the democratic party. So it is very convenient for republicans to say "ahhh...geee...charter schools can fix everything." This is pretty much the opinion of our dysfunctional governor, and also the opinion of Mr. Romney during the 2012 presidential campaign. Sadly, this is not the case.

At the very least, the Ohio general assembly has dropped the ball very badly on this one, pretty much like they have done on everything else they have touched. Tea Party guys like to talk about giving rights and responsibilities back to the states-in a way, the less the state of Ohio tries to handle, the happier I am.

And Cawacko, this does not mean that I am embarrassed about Ohio or dislike living here. Quite the opposite, in fact. However, our elected officials in Columbus make some astonishingly idiotic decisions.

 

[cawacko]

I am not so sure that it is a totally failed idea. My son goes to a very good Charter School, the Arts And College Prep Academy over by Hamilton road. They have very high test scores, and they do a fantastic job with students. But in a lot of ways they are the exception rather than the rule.

I think a lot of Republicans dislike teachers and schools because teachers are unionized, and represent a major source of funding for the democratic party. So it is very convenient for republicans to say "ahhh...geee...charter schools can fix everything." This is pretty much the opinion of our dysfunctional governor, and also the opinion of Mr. Romney during the 2012 presidential campaign. Sadly, this is not the case.

At the very least, the Ohio general assembly has dropped the ball very badly on this one, pretty much like they have done on everything else they have touched. Tea Party guys like to talk about giving rights and responsibilities back to the states-in a way, the less the state of Ohio tries to handle, the happier I am.

And Cawacko, this does not mean that I am embarrassed about Ohio or dislike living here. Quite the opposite, in fact. However, our elected officials in Columbus make some astonishingly idiotic decisions.

stang, you call charter schools a Republican thing but President Obama has been pushing charter schools from Day One. I found this link from the White House with Obama declaring a national charter schools week.

And I think you are wrong when you say Republicans dislike teachers. The dislike is directed at the teachers union not the individual teachers themselves. The teachers union, despite their rhetoric, don't look out for the best interest of the children. That is not their job. It is why they fight against having any competition or any standards and make it so difficult to fire poor teachers.

Charter schools are no panacea to fixing all our educational challenges but I do not agree that we need a top down one size fits all educational model where students without money have no options. Children all learn differently and if charter schools are one option to help certain children then I fully support them. If the schools are not performing then I am perfectly fine with them being taken over or shut down. To me it's about what works best for the children and that often conflicts with the goals of unions and politicians.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press...oclamation-national-charter-schools-week-2013

 

[Canceled.2014.2]

Not all Republicans dislike teachers. However, they could do more to look out for the educational system.

And I am a guy who has had my children in a charter school. The traditional schools are indeed in many cases failing. If anything, I think the transfer of power and regulation of charter schools is more at fault than the idea of charter schools themselves.

As for me....I would like to actually see a lot more charters. I think that they have huge potential. But they also have huge potential to do harm to children if we are not careful. They are also an assload cheaper than regular schools, which could save valuable tax money for other projects.

And yes, I will agree a hundred percent that teachers unions are wildly effed up- I just wish that Kasich had handled things differently. Rather than making parents and teachers enemies, we should gain some sort of consensus on educational reform and then move forward.

 

[Damocles]

Charter schools are still public schools, being "shocked" that they are failing in a monopoly system is actually quite funny.

 

[Airstrip One]

Not all Republicans dislike teachers. However, they could do more to look out for the educational system.

And I am a guy who has had my children in a charter school. The traditional schools are indeed in many cases failing. If anything, I think the transfer of power and regulation of charter schools is more at fault than the idea of charter schools themselves.

As for me....I would like to actually see a lot more charters. I think that they have huge potential. But they also have huge potential to do harm to children if we are not careful. They are also an assload cheaper than regular schools, which could save valuable tax money for other projects.

And yes, I will agree a hundred percent that teachers unions are wildly effed up- I just wish that Kasich had handled things differently. Rather than making parents and teachers enemies, we should gain some sort of consensus on educational reform and then move forward.

You want to support teachers? Put parents and students on notice that poor character and shitty parenting/behavior will no longer be tolerated. Make them more accountable. Once teachers are no longer having to act as paid babysitters, we can sit down and discuss curriculum standards.

 

[Liberty]

You want to support teachers? Put parents and students on notice that poor character and shitty parenting/behavior will no longer be tolerated. Make them more accountable. Once teachers are no longer having to act as paid babysitters, we can sit down and discuss curriculum standards.

There's a lot of parents who are to busy working to feed the gov't, to actually give their kids the attention they deserve.

 

[Mott the Hoople]

I am not so sure that it is a totally failed idea. My son goes to a very good Charter School, the Arts And College Prep Academy over by Hamilton road. They have very high test scores, and they do a fantastic job with students. But in a lot of ways they are the exception rather than the rule.

I think a lot of Republicans dislike teachers and schools because teachers are unionized, and represent a major source of funding for the democratic party. So it is very convenient for republicans to say "ahhh...geee...charter schools can fix everything." This is pretty much the opinion of our dysfunctional governor, and also the opinion of Mr. Romney during the 2012 presidential campaign. Sadly, this is not the case.

At the very least, the Ohio general assembly has dropped the ball very badly on this one, pretty much like they have done on everything else they have touched. Tea Party guys like to talk about giving rights and responsibilities back to the states-in a way, the less the state of Ohio tries to handle, the happier I am.

And Cawacko, this does not mean that I am embarrassed about Ohio or dislike living here. Quite the opposite, in fact. However, our elected officials in Columbus make some astonishingly idiotic decisions.

Only 1 Charter School in Ohio has the States highest rating. Sounds like that might be the one your son goes to. However, the data is conclusively showing that the Charter School experiment has been a resounding failure across the board and a gross waste of the tax payers money.

I think there is more to conservatives demonizing school teachers than just Teachers Unions (though I agree that's part of it). I think much of it is that many conservatives do not want a liberal arts education for their children and so because their views on education often fall far from the mainstream they desire to send their children to private schools that will teach the traditioan religious and conservative values. That's fine but the agenda of many conservatives is to have the tax paying public underwrite their childrens private school education. I think that many of them are shortsighed in that by enforcing an authoritarian conservative education on their child they gain the traditional and religious instruction they desire at the expense of broadening their childs educational horizons, as well as, limiting their opportunities to learn critical thinking skills that are the strong suit of a liberal arts education.

 

[Mott the Hoople]

Not all Republicans dislike teachers. However, they could do more to look out for the educational system.

And I am a guy who has had my children in a charter school. The traditional schools are indeed in many cases failing. If anything, I think the transfer of power and regulation of charter schools is more at fault than the idea of charter schools themselves.

As for me....I would like to actually see a lot more charters. I think that they have huge potential. But they also have huge potential to do harm to children if we are not careful. They are also an assload cheaper than regular schools, which could save valuable tax money for other projects.

And yes, I will agree a hundred percent that teachers unions are wildly effed up- I just wish that Kasich had handled things differently. Rather than making parents and teachers enemies, we should gain some sort of consensus on educational reform and then move forward.

They aren't if they glaringly fail as the over whelming majority of them in Ohio have. As for the far lower cost of Charter Schools....you get what you pay for.

- - - Updated - - -

Charter schools are still public schools, being "shocked" that they are failing in a monopoly system is actually quite funny.

I have to correct you here. Most Charters schools are public schools that have been subcontracted to "For Profit" management companies.

 

[Airstrip One]

There's a lot of parents who are to busy working to feed the gov't, to actually give their kids the attention they deserve.

I think it would be hilarious if we implemented a policy stating that certain levels of poor behavior could land your child on a list, forwarded up to the state that would lose you certain tax deductions for the next tax year.

 

[Mott the Hoople]

You want to support teachers? Put parents and students on notice that poor character and shitty parenting/behavior will no longer be tolerated. Make them more accountable. Once teachers are no longer having to act as paid babysitters, we can sit down and discuss curriculum standards.

You hit the big fat ugly elephant in the room that most people seem to want to avoid and I agree with you 100%. Much of the demonization of school teachers for a lot of the failings of our public schools has far, far more to do with their crappy parenting then it does with our public schools. Many parents just want to demonize and blame educators for their personal failings. I couldn't agree with you more. Many, particularly in the south, have a political agenda to undermine public education since a large percentage of Southern Whites have withdrew their children into private schools when forced integration of our public schools became the law of the land. In what is probably the single biggest asinine politcal movement in modern history these staggeringly short sighted people wish to undermine public education since they send their kids to private schools they see it as a waste of their tax payers dollars for which they recieve no benefit. It's just a mind boggling stupid attitude but it exist in much of the south.

 

[Mott the Hoople]

There's a lot of parents who are to busy working to feed the gov't, to actually give their kids the attention they deserve.

This folks is an excellent example of what is called a "Cop out".

 

[Canceled.2014.2]

You want to support teachers? Put parents and students on notice that poor character and shitty parenting/behavior will no longer be tolerated. Make them more accountable. Once teachers are no longer having to act as paid babysitters, we can sit down and discuss curriculum standards.

Easier said than done.....but I like the general idea.

 

[Mott the Hoople]

I think it would be hilarious if we implemented a policy stating that certain levels of poor behavior could land your child on a list, forwarded up to the state that would lose you certain tax deductions for the next tax year.

or incur specific penalties. That's a very interesting idea Threedee. I'd like to explore that further!

 

[Canceled.2014.2]

You hit the big fat ugly elephant in the room that most people seem to want to avoid and I agree with you 100%. Much of the demonization of school teachers for a lot of the failings of our public schools has far, far more to do with their crappy parenting then it does with our public schools. Many parents just want to demonize and blame educators for their personal failings. I couldn't agree with you more. Many, particularly in the south, have a political agenda to undermine public education since a large percentage of Southern Whites have withdrew their children into private schools when forced integration of our public schools became the law of the land. In what is probably the single biggest asinine politcal movement in modern history these staggeringly short sighted people wish to undermine public education since they send their kids to private schools they see it as a waste of their tax payers dollars for which they recieve no benefit. It's just a mind boggling stupid attitude but it exist in much of the south.

A lot of the south is also very religious. Many parents put their children in private schools to keep them from being taught about evolution.


But it would be much cheaper for them to pay a little more in taxes and improve public schools.

 

[The Dude]

Horseshit
They pay 7,000 a year because public schools are dogshit.
I know I signed the checks and non of the parents were anti evolution.
Asshole

 

[Canceled.2014.2]

Horseshit
They pay 7,000 a year because public schools are dogshit.
I know I signed the checks and non of the parents were anti evolution.
Asshole

Depends on where your at. When I lived in Atlanta parents in very good suburban school systems sent their children to private Christian schools for just that reason. Perhaps your experience was different.

 

[The Dude]

I'm in nawlins and mine went to top flight Catholic school and I'm 97 percent atheist 3 percent catholic.
Schools are soo bad here if you are a college grad you send the rug rats to private school.

 

[Mott the Hoople]

A lot of the south is also very religious. Many parents put their children in private schools to keep them from being taught about evolution.


But it would be much cheaper for them to pay a little more in taxes and improve public schools.

That wasn't my experience living in the South. It had far, far more to do with race than religion. White people in the South were coerced (i.e. forced) to send their children to school with black children against their will. They have proven that you can't do that. Schools in many southern States are just as segregated now as in 1950.

The end result is that in many southern States affluent whites send their children to private schools and poor whites and blacks go to public schools with the result that affluent whites see no value for their tax dollars in funding public education (note that many southern States have the lowest property taxes in the nation which is th e primary vehicle for funding public education. Alabama, for example, spends 1/3 per student on public education what we here in Ohio do.) Schools which they will not send their children too. It is that prevailing attitude, that and a pervasive attitude in the South that education is a private, personal and optional matter, that undermines much of the public schools in the south and why, as The Dude puts it, they are dogshit.