Wake County could be in line for a massive expansion in the number of charter schools.
In a blog post Tuesday, Terry Stoops, director of education studies for the the conservative John Locke Foundation, writes that 14 groups have filed letters of intent with the state Department of Public Instruction to open charter schools in Wake County for the 2014-15 school year.
The Wake contingent is among a group of 161 applicants who filed letters of intent. Stoops writes that 33 applicants are from Mecklenburg County.
"One wonders if this is a reflection of citizens’ satisfaction/dissatisfaction with the public school district in their county," Stoops writes. "It is impossible to know for sure."
Stoops also writes that his analysis of the 161 applicants shows that 11 are from Durham County, including a proposed a statewide virtual charter school, North Carolina Connections Academy. He writes that another statewide virtual charter school, the North Carolina Virtual Academy, is also on the list.
There are 14 charter schools currently open in Wake with another that received preliminary approval for the 2013-14 school year. Another 14 schools in 2014-15, assuming they continue with the process, could prove to be a real challenge for the Wake County school system.
A big expansion is far more possible now that there is no longer a statewide cap on the number of charter schools.
UPDATE/CORRECTION
The state says there were 154 letters, not the 161 reported by Stoops. Click here to download a spreadsheet with all the applicants.
Comments
Private jet rentals provide
Tue, 05/21/2013 - 00:37 — Abbey DsouzaPrivate jet rentals provide you with a viable and affordable alternative to commercial flights. These private jet rentals cater to you and your needs and they can be used to accommodate many different needs. Private jets are taking commercial changes and are offering the consumer a better option in luxury.
http://www.imageaircharter.com/
FYI
Thu, 01/24/2013 - 11:50 — stoopsI used the number provided in the NC Department of Public Instruction press release:
http://www.dpi.state.nc.us/newsroom/news/2012-13/20130104-01
Next time I'll count them myself.
Anyone who did not see this
Fri, 01/11/2013 - 06:12 — woodstockAnyone who did not see this coming had blinders on. When left-wing radicals like Hill, Kushner, Martin, Sutton and that other "lady," who's collective mission is to take choice away from parents and dictate unwanted mandates, this is what you get.... a disintegration of the public school system. Martin out of all of them should be familiar with this process: action - reaction.
School choice ?
Fri, 01/11/2013 - 21:49 — Solon77CMS has had school choice in place for a few years now. It appears they were so empowered that there are 33 charter school applications. More than 2x the applications with a smaller district.
charter schools no better
Thu, 01/24/2013 - 21:42 — EBDarcyWhy do so many believe that charters are a panacea? Most of the evidence shows that they are no better, and often much worse, than traditional public schools.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/17/charter-school-quality_n_2490931.html?utm_hp_ref=tw
Heh....
Fri, 01/25/2013 - 00:11 — Bob_SconceOh, I love the bias of the HuffPo.
"In Michigan, though, the evidence on charter school quality is clearer. Students in charter schools there perform worse on average than public school students"
And, then it goes on to cite a Stanford study showing that charter students in Michigan perform worse on average than Michigan charter students in traditional public schools.
But, here's something the HuffPo glossed over: "Nearly half of Michigan’s charter students are located in greater Detroit. For this reason alone, one would not expect charter school populations to parallel the demographics of the Michigan TPS population as a whole. [. . .] charter schools have more students in poverty, more Black students and fewer White students than their TPS counterparts."
In other words, Michigan charter schools have a population that tends to perform well below the average -- not surprisingly, putting them in charter schools doesn't fix that overnight.
Even more damaging to the HuffPo's biased article, the study goes on to say: "In both reading and math, charter students in Michigan learned significantly more
than their virtual peers in all five periods analyzed"
In other words, even though Michigan charter schools have a tougher student population, they do better with that population than traditional public schools in Michigan.
That said, nobody thinks they're a panacea. Sure, they're a good thing, but they're only a part of the solution to solving the country's education problems.
Oops!
Fri, 01/25/2013 - 08:09 — shearertwOops!
Ahh..yes. The Huffington
Thu, 01/24/2013 - 23:21 — shearertwAhh..yes. The Huffington Post.....That's credible.
I'm sure there are some charter schools that aren't very good. Here's the difference. You don't have to keep going there. Also, people choose charter schools for a number of reasons...not all of them are academically related. Sometimes, they're the best place for kids who are having trouble in trad public schools. That won't show up on some stupid test.
The article you cited was stupid enough to state that more charter schools equals less competition and less incentive to improve. That's one of the stupidest things I've heard in a long time. It also confirms that liberals have no idea what capitalism and free market competition is.
Awesome!
Fri, 01/11/2013 - 22:25 — woodstockAwesome!
So..
Thu, 01/10/2013 - 21:15 — Bob_SconceThis is the new reality for the school district -- 14 new charter schools is about double the current number of schools. Now, sure, not all 14 will make it through. But, next year there will be another 14 and another 14 the following year.
That trend will continue until WCPSS figures out why students are leaving and does something about it.
did you notice the zip codes
Sat, 01/12/2013 - 09:51 — snordoneof the applicants? I know that it is a big assumption that they will place schools close to their home, but 6 out of the 14 are in zip codes that span the northern tier of the county. NW Raleigh (at the durham county line) to Wake Forest. That is a lot of new charters to have in this area with so many under enrolled rim schools as it is. Several are K-8 or K-12.
we knew this was coming
Thu, 01/10/2013 - 22:47 — snordoneand so did WCPSS since they did the market share analysis last year for a reason.
The question is whether the choice plan could have prevented a mass exodus or not. For sure the return to diversity busing will exacerbate the problem. I hope someone does the math for the BOE. We have 30,000 children outside of the system, this is $240 million lost to the system. Another 30,000 kids is another $240 million. Over time Kevin, Susan, Jim and Christine cause exactly the problem they thought they could prevent with forced busing - they create high poverty schools, and a lot of them. They have more children that cost more to educate, but less money. This is similar to the fiscal cliff issue, economists agree that the shenanigans of congress put a band-aid on public perception but exacerbated our long term fiscal problems. The smart and responsible decision would have been to empower parents to stay in the public schools by giving them control. Then fine tune using the algorithm or bus in one direction.
Are you sad? I am sad. But maybe we will end up with better public schools through charters. Time for the BOE to discuss co-localization of charters in under-enrolled public school buildings.
Market share
Fri, 01/11/2013 - 21:15 — Solon77They do market share every year. The 30,000 students includes home school and private school. This does not represent any loss of revenue to the school district.
Impact of choice plan - I would argue the choice plan accelerated a mass exodus. Too many people saw the drawn out pins and needles process of waiting to hear if they got their 1st or 5th choice. Then later finding out that they did not get into their neighborhood school while someone from farther away did. Interesting - CMS has had a choice plan for a couple of years and there were 33 applications for charters. WCPSS, a larger district only had 14. Kind of begs the question.
Want to level the playing field - take the shackles off the public school and let them have the same flexibility as charters.
in my opinion all childen outside of WCPSS
Sat, 01/12/2013 - 09:05 — snordonerepresent a loss to the system. So yes, I am lumping all non-WCPSS schools together. That collectively is $240 million. Yes, my math is off with the 14 schools = 30K children, I was trying to say that we could easily see a doubling of children outside of the system pretty quickly.
In 2008 there were 2400 applicants to Endeavor and Magellan Charter schools to fill 400 seats. IF there had been 2400 seats those children would have left the system and wiped out all the local schools - Baileywick, Jeffrey's Grove, West Millbrook, Lead Mine. Those are parents who can drive their kids to school and meet the volunteer requirements. Those are the parents with financial means. So by assumption the children who would have been left would have been those of a lower economic status. And we know there are more low achieving children in that demographic group. With an enrollment-based funding formula we would have been left with high poverty schools with higher educational needs and far fewer dollars. This is where we are going. I am sorry that you don't see this.
Leveling the playing field: Charters operate without the shackles of central office for sure. But strong charters (KIPP, Green Dot, etc...) operate with a formula - effective leaders with 100% control over their school, effective teachers, no tracking and the culture that all can and will succeed. We saw a public school example of this when John Modest left Wake and was given the reins of West Charlotte HS. They gave him full control to hire and fire. He took that school from 30% proficiency to 77% proficiency in 3 years. This was an 89% F&R school.
The choice plan actually resulted in the lowest number of transfer requests in that last decade, only 3000 in a system of 150K children. It actually did the opposite of what you think, it stabilized the system. In order to balance better (after parents were empowered to choose) it would have take several years, some strengthening of schools with additional resources (with a reduction from others) and SOME demographic adjustment for the sake of resources. But in the end I think it would prevented us from going over the edge of the cliff that we can all see now.
Charlotte failed to create choice with balance and control, so their disparity is greater than ours. I always felt that Tony was trying to avoid their mistakes. Charlotte's people are wealthy. It all adds up to a greater desire for more options outside of CMS.
You have always seemed like an intelligent person to me, but I also get the sense that you believe what you are told. You read from the playbook rather than really looking at the reality of the system. And all of you need to compromise or we will only go over that cliff.
in my opinion all childen outside of WCPSS
Sat, 01/12/2013 - 09:07 — snordoneduplicate
The home school and private
Sat, 01/12/2013 - 00:39 — jeffrey1The home school and private school kids don't represent any loss, but the charters kids certainly do. About 6000 kids in Charter Schools represents a loss of $48 million.
Any researcher worth his salt knows that you cannot jump to your implied conclusion regarding # of charter schools in CMS vs Wake.
And you can't be serious about the choice plan accelerating a mass exodus. Where have you been the last 15 years?
But this goes to show you the effect of GSIW: For the 10 years prior to the choice plan, there were tens of thousands of disenfranchised parents poorly treated by WCPSS. I know because I spoke to thousands of them personally. Instability was the number 1 reason why these parents (who had the resources) left WCPSS to enroll in private schools. Instability was the number 1 reason why these parents applied for magnet schools - any magnet school. But those of you who sat in your fancy magnet schools had no idea of the level of dissatisfaction in WCPSS. The TV stations never reported it. The News and Observer never reported it.
But design a choice plan, and those same TV stations and newspapers make it seem like the sky is falling. Next, find a couple of hundred parents who are dissatisfied with their choice in the plan. Then top it off with an organization like GSIW, who never misses a chance to appear in the spotlight. And all of a sudden, because of all the publicity, those same fancy magnet parents are crawling out of the woodwork, making claims that our school system is going to hell in a hand basket.
It's nice to see some of you finally take notice that our school system is not the great success it has been made out to be. But where have you all been the last 15 years?
Loss of $48m
Sat, 01/12/2013 - 16:25 — Solon77The charter schools do not represent a loss of $48m. In a growing school district it is repositioning of funds. It is fewer schools we have to build and fewer teachers that are hired in the traditional school. The only time a charter takes $ away from a school district is if the enrollment is flat to down and the school system is not able to close schools or shed teachers. For WCPSS Charters is a cheap way to add capacity.
CMS vs Wake Charter schools - how do you explain the 2X application rate of CMS ? They had neighborhood schools, expanded magnets, spend millions on programs, and have a parent choice model. Everyone should be happy.
Where have I been the last 15 years ? in my mature North Raleigh neighborhood. We valued stability so when it came to house selection we chose a mature area where the probability for reassignment was lower than a growing area. To move to a growing area and not expect assignment instability is just unreasonable. Reassignment due to diversity was minor compared to the impact of pure growth. The grow that people like you fought tooth and nail not to fund.
I will not apologize for taking advantage of the magnet program. I do find it sad that in the 19 years that I have lived here, this well educated and prosperous community would do all in its power to not properly fund the public schools. If you want to point to a reason why there was instability (schools were not built) and programs were not offered - look to the failure of the community to fund public education. I am sure Sideburns can offer insight as she supported RM who wouldn't raise a nickel.
So...
Mon, 01/14/2013 - 11:39 — Bob_SconceYou should not apologize for taking advantage of the magnet program. Everybody has to do what's best for their kids. Heck, I'm including it among the options for next year, and the idea of joining a group that includes Susan Evans, Diana Bader and Jim Martin (the group being 'magnet parents') makes me want to claw my eyes out.
I don't know how to explain the 33 letters in CMS, but let's be clear here: those things you list (neighborhood schools, etc...) are positive things to have in a school system, but let's not assume that they're sufficient for a school system that does a good job of meeting its students needs. Who knows what else is happening in CMS.
So, "Not able to close schools or shed teachers" -- luckily, I don't think WCPSS really has that problem thanks, largely, to the lack of teachers' unions. Compare, however, with Philadelphia schools.
Technically you are correct with the $$
Sun, 01/13/2013 - 10:31 — snordoneBecause AS OF RIGHT NOW the dollars flow to charters through the LEAs, and the LEAs keep funds by saying that the charters don't have X, Y or Z so they don't need the percentage of money that the district uses to cover that cost. It is so bad in some LEAs that charters only get 25% of the funds to which that child is entitled.
BUT you don't take into consideration that we have a GOP majority and one of the first things they WILL change is the flow of money. It will bypass LEAs and go straight to charters. We are going to see our money shrink because of several changes - appropriate flow of money to the child, loss of children from the district.
You mentioned you are a magnet parent (shocking given your rhetoric) - I saw a very ironic combination of T shirts yesterday at the cap 8 tournament: a women in a shirt that said "Diversity" sitting next to a man with a "Martin MS" T shirt. WOW. Martin is a school that illegally administered its own math placement test and had NO ED kids in 8th grade algebra. Now, let's talk about INTEGRATION (because diversity is a meaningless word, it simply means we are all different in some way). Martin has 35% F&R, my son is at Leesville MS with 45% F&R. The % of ED kids who are proficient in math and reading at Martin is 37%, the percentage at Leesville MS is 58%. The kids at Leesville are from Washington Terrace and Raleigh North, those extremely high poverty areas surrounding Raleigh Blvd, next to Enloe. All data are NCDPI 2011-2012 data.
IF YOU WANT TO REALLY SUPPORT INTEGRATION COME TO THE BASE WHERE WE CARE ABOUT ALL CHILDREN, NOT JUST OUR OWN. If you want to marginalize ED kids and keep them in poverty while your kids get the $ then by all means, stay in a magnet.
...
Sat, 01/12/2013 - 21:48 — SideburnsWhat a snob. As if those of us in the suburbs don't value stability. It is not unreasonable to expect stability. Moving away from a node-based assignment plan....like, say, the choice plan...would have allowed growth without reassignment. But "people like you" fought tooth and nail to protect your precious magnet system and now have no apologies. Your double talk about leveling the playing field is sickening and so very hypocritical.
And, meanwhile, your magnet schools are sucking up millions of local dollars. The rest of us aren't even worthy, in your eyes, of an addt'l 2M for choice. How much again does WCPSS spend on transportation for magnets? More than 2M?
I think I woke up
Sun, 01/13/2013 - 10:35 — snordonecranky this morning sideburns. I need more coffee an a good bike ride before talking with these deficit model people.
...
Sat, 01/12/2013 - 11:25 — SideburnsSolon - a supporter of perpetuating an inequitable magnet system - wants to "level the playing field" for charters? LOL.
If you give public schools
Fri, 01/11/2013 - 21:34 — shearertwIf you give public schools the same flexibility as charter schools, you also have to provide the same funding level and then call them charter schools.
Remove the admin constraints
Fri, 01/11/2013 - 21:53 — Solon77Remove the administrative constraints and then we can talk about reduced funding levels. If you want real competition then level the playing field.
The field is level. You seem
Sat, 01/12/2013 - 11:27 — woodstockThe field is level. You seem to suggesting offering advantages to some after we are well into the game.
?
Sat, 01/12/2013 - 11:21 — Bob_SconceI don't understand the idea that competition requires a "level playing field." That's clearly not true. Is the playing field level in basketball? Of course not. (For one, consider that players in New York have to pay far higher taxes than players in Denver.) Thanks to a wide raft of patents, the playing field's not level between Google's Android Phones and Apple's iPhones, yet they compete. Heck, even on a typical street corner, one of the corners will be better for putting in a gas station than the others -- does that mean that there's no real competition? No.
Little Ceasar's is putting in a restaurant in Minicity beside the northbound lanes of Capital Blvd -- it's a far better location than across the street, because it catches commuters on their way home. Unfair competition to restaurants across the street? No way.
Personally, I think the idea of removing administrative burdens from public schools is great -- let's start with the calendaring law, then move on to the SCOS. But, we can still have effective competition without doing so.
Exactly...perhaps with the
Sat, 01/12/2013 - 12:14 — shearertwExactly...perhaps with the rise of competition, perhaps the trad public school system will begin to consider changing their ways. They may end up changing things they would have never even considered before such as excessive administrative burdens. In the long run, competition helps everyone, especially the kids. Note to WCPSS...the ideas, concepts, and strategies of the charter schools are generally not patented.
Interesting, do you really
Sat, 01/12/2013 - 00:07 — shearertwInteresting, do you really fear charter schools that much? What administrative contraints, specifically, are you referring to?
Administrative Constraints
Sat, 01/12/2013 - 00:33 — Solon77I do not fear charter schools at all. If charter schools are supposed to be incubators of new ideas what is the point if these new ideas and techniques are not folded into the public school ? Take discipline - in a charter school if a kid brings drugs to school and is caught they are toast. No threat of parent lawsuits, review boards, and mounds of paperwork. Learning - charters are able to tailor to interests. Traditional schools are required to follow the cookie cutter. What is the fear in allowing public schools the flexibility allowed charter schools ?
Our magnets are incubators
Mon, 01/14/2013 - 17:35 — jenmanOur magnets are incubators of new ideas and techniques. But WCPSS won't allow those ideas and techniques to be spread to the rest of the schools. (Some courses do eventually make their way from Enloe to the other high schools.) WCPSS will be shooting themselves in the foot if they don't allow the non-magnets to become competitive. They are going to be in a precarious spot with new charters opening. Give the rest of the schools access to higher level programming and risk hurting the appeal of the magnets. Continue to deny non-magnets the ability to offer more and those parents will leave for charters.
Some major decisions need to be made within WCPSS.
I see no reason to not allow
Sat, 01/12/2013 - 00:58 — shearertwI see no reason to not allow "public schools" have the flexibility of charter schools, but that just makes them charter schools, doesn't it? Charter schools are publically funded which makes them public schools, actually. So...I'm with you, just make them all charter schools. We'll save gazzillians in teacher pay and benefits. Is that what you are trying to protect....state jobs?
Save gazzillians in teacher pay
Sat, 01/12/2013 - 16:03 — Solon77Is that your motivation to charters ? To cut teacher pay and benefits ? I thought it was about a better way to provide a quality education.
There are ...
Fri, 01/11/2013 - 09:00 — bpuli9999currently ~14 charter schools in Wake county. Are you saying on average they have enrollments of 2000 each to add up to 30000? If you are counting home schooled, private schools etc. why would the county be losing that tax money?
Even if all 14 new charter schools start up in wake county, how would it add up to another 30000 kids?
In any case, why would charter schools cause high poverty schools? Less schools need less money - unless you are suggesting that the school system cannot shut down some schools, sell off buses and drop services - everything the charter schools do. And then you will see that the whole "neighborhood school" thing will collapse. If the school system is allowed to operate like a private company, it will thrive.
Lose money
Fri, 01/11/2013 - 18:36 — RonnieRThe public schools lose money because the State bases the allotments on either the 10th or 20th day enrollment, can't remember which, so each kid not in public school for what ever reason causes a loss.
So...
Fri, 01/11/2013 - 09:56 — Bob_SconceThe 30,000 number was the number of students being educated outside WCPSS, whether in charter, private or home schools.
It will take more than a year for charter schools to pull another 30,000 students, but (as I said in the GP post), this 14 is only for a single year. More schools next year and the year after.
High Poverty Schools
Fri, 01/11/2013 - 09:19 — JanisTangoIn any case, why would charter schools cause high poverty schools?
That is not always the result, but when North Raleigh opened Endeavor, many schools in the surrounding area had their F&R increase by 10%+ as parents bailed to get into the charter.
Baileywick
Sun, 01/13/2013 - 13:12 — snordonewent from 22% to 50% in 6 years after Magellan and Endeavor went on line. I know reassignments caused some of that too. But collectively it caused a huge change in programming that drove out a lot of families looking for enrichment.
Well...
Fri, 01/11/2013 - 10:01 — Bob_SconceSome of the schools on the list appear to be targeting low-income students. And, that's what should expect -- the charter schools work to serve different niches of kids.
I Agree Bob....
Fri, 01/11/2013 - 10:58 — JanisTangoto be honest, I'm glad to see that some of the applications are targeting low-income students. I know parents that have been trying for years to get what's best for their children, but seem to hit a road block because they are low-income. I know 3 'low-income' families personally that had to move to just get their kids into the school that was the best fit for them. I would expect there will be a ton of applications for these charter schools. I was just pointing out that high poverty schools are not always the result, but in areas were schools are struggling to get students to come anyway, it just gives the parents a chance to get their children into a different environment and the school the left has to deal with the reprucussions. Mr. Tata understood the problem and was doing everything in his power to help these schools.
Oh yeah...
Fri, 01/11/2013 - 11:40 — Bob_SconceI think that's by design. Part of the idea of charters is to offer competition to the local public school system. If the opening of a charter didn't have any effect, then that's not much competition.
That's the reality which Tata understood but which the board majority doesn't -- the public schools are now in a competitive environment in which families will have an increasing number of options. That means that the public schools have to have a laser-like focus on doing the right thing. They can't afford to do what they've done in the past with, e.g., the diversity policy and Trailblazers math, where they go on some experimental boondoggle for a decade and PO a bunch of parents in the process, with the tacit understanding that the parents are captive.
Yes...Public schools now
Fri, 01/11/2013 - 12:16 — shearertwYes...Public schools now need to be fly traps instead of bear traps.
Sad?
Thu, 01/10/2013 - 23:31 — Bob_SconceNot really the right word. Resigned, perhaps. Wake County had the makings of a great school system, but squandered it in dogged pursuit of a bizarre diversity goal, a goal which time has shown to be meritless. And, in doing so, it has alienated what would be its natural base of support -- suburban middle-class parents.
I do think that we will end up with a better system. Based only on their names, the proposed charters seem to represent a good cross-section of society. Despite the claim that charters siphon off the best kids, it's clear that some of the new schools are aimed at hard-to-reach kids.
I am not sure I buy the
Fri, 01/11/2013 - 06:28 — woodstockI am not sure I buy the "best kids" comment. Perhaps you meant to say "most prepared kids" or something like that.
What's missing from the current BOE majority's thinking is that ALL kids are capable. Maybe different tactics/strategies are needed to draw those capabilities out, but all kids possess capabilities to succeed.
To me, proponents of busing and other social engineering schemes the Wake's BOE's majority appears intent on moving forward with, seem resigned to the fact that some kids--mostly based on irrelevant factors such as skin color or family income-- just don't have what it takes, so they are dispersed throughout the system so as not to draw too much attention to them.
Until we have a more enlightened school system--which was obvious we had with Tony Tata at the helm, parents will seek out alternatives like Charter Schools.
Should note
Thu, 01/10/2013 - 15:30 — Bob_SconceTHe schools are open to any student state-wide. Nothing stopping a Wake County student from going to a Durham Charter, or vice-versa.
But, but
Thu, 01/10/2013 - 19:47 — Dove314What about the value of neighborhood cohesiveness and the importance of community and short commutes to school on each child's education?
?
Thu, 01/10/2013 - 21:13 — Bob_SconceWhat about it? Many parents value that and expect it from their kids' school. I others don't.
And, that changes over time. When my kids were in Elementary School, I wanted them close. When they hit Hugh school, we are applying to a number of charters. RCHS is at the top of that list.
These are the same...
Fri, 01/11/2013 - 09:02 — bpuli9999parents you are talking about who cannot tolerate late buses for a week? They are going to drive their kids across the county everyday?
People, in general, will
Fri, 01/11/2013 - 09:50 — shearertwPeople, in general, will tolerate a lot for a good product. Heck, that's the entire basis of the magnet program. When the product is mediocre or poor, relatively minor irritations tend to frustrate people more because the are already dissatisfied.
If that existed in WC, one
Thu, 01/10/2013 - 20:25 — shearertwIf that existed in WC, one wouldn't need to seek their kids education elsewhere. Strong community support and cohesiveness with out schools isn't just a feel good thing, it's essential for good schools. So not only do we not have all the intangibles of community schools people desire, we have mediocre schools on top of it. If you find a nice charter school, perhaps your kids will at least get a better education.
Important to know.
Thu, 01/10/2013 - 16:30 — shearertwImportant to know.