Success Academy Charter Schools set to move into Cobble Hill

Charter School Approved for Affluent Brooklyn Enclave

By FERNANDA SANTOS

Published: December 15, 2011

News, data and conversation about education in New York.

The Panel for Educational Policy handed a significant victory to a network of charter schools run by Eva S. Moskowitz, the former city councilwoman, in her quest to expand its reach to affluent parts of the city.

The new school, in Cobble Hill, will be Ms. Moskowitz’s 12th in the city, but only the second in a well-to-do enclave. The other opened last summer on the Upper West Side amid protests similar to what the Cobble Hill school faced on Wednesday as it gained its final approval, during a meeting that lasted hours.

The teachers’ union brought opponents by the busload, and they flocked to the microphone to offer their views during the meeting, at Newtown High School in Corona, Queens.

The opponents hurled insults and accusations at the panel’s members; the schools chancellor, Dennis M. Walcott; and several of his deputies.

Though the meeting happened far outside the communities affected by the plans voted on by the panel, the crowd was boisterous. One opponent held a sign reading, “How dare you?” — and there were jeers to drown out testimony from those who spoke in support of charter schools.

The panel also approved locating two other charter schools, one of them also part of Ms. Moskowitz’s network, in buildings occupied by district schools in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, one of the city’s poorest.

Most of the opposition was staged against the Cobble Hill school, though. The building it will occupy, on Baltic Street, has a school for students with disabilities and two schools serving grades 6 through 12: the School for Global Studies and the School for International Studies. But, according to the city’s Department of Education, the building still has 700 available seats.

Jeff Tripp, a math and special education teacher at International Studies, disputed the department’s analysis, saying the building’s gym was so overused that high school students had a hard time meeting graduation requirements in physical education. Lunch in its sole cafeteria starts at 10:30 a.m., he said.

“Our students spend hours in the building and for many of them it’s home,” Mr. Tripp said. “What you’re proposing is a home invasion.”

Cobble Hill shares many similarities with the Upper West Side: It has desirable elementary schools at or near capacity, as well as million-dollar homes blocks from public housing developments. In an earlier interview, Ms. Moskowitz said her network, Success Academy Charter Schools, meant to serve both.

The school is to open in August for about 190 students in kindergarten and first grade. It will eventually expand through eighth grade.

“While there are a lot of charter operators that may serve exclusively the most disadvantaged kids, I think there’s a value in having an integrated school, both racially and economically,” Ms. Moskowitz said. “Choice shouldn’t be just for poor families.”

A version of this article appeared in print on December 15, 2011, on page A34 of the New York edition with the headline: Charter School Approved for Affluent Brooklyn Enclave.

financial disadvantage = educational disadvantage

There was a very interesting article in the NY Times, this weekend that I think warrants further exploration and discussion.  The article dealt with the topic of income inequality and overall school performance.  Its premise is that children who happen to be born into financially disadvantaged households perform markedly worse in school on average than their peers from more affluent backgrounds. 

This income/performance disparity is a proven fact and I will not even attempt to dispute this as it has been abundantly documented, most notably in the Equality of Educational Opportunity (Coleman) Study (EEOS), 1966 also known as the Coleman Report.  The Coleman Report was commissioned by the US Department of Health, Education, and Welfare in 1966 to assess the availability of equal educational opportunities to children of different race, color, religion and national origin.  This is an example of how use of a social survey was an instrument of national policy-making.  More recently Sean F. Reardon of Stanford University published a paper entitled, Income Inequality and Income Segregation (2010).  Reardon determined both income inequality and income segregation in the United States grew substantially from 1970 to 2000.  His study investigates whether and how income inequality affects patterns of income segregation along three dimensions—the spatial segregation of poverty and affluence; race-specific patterns of income segregation; and the geographic scale of income segregation.  In short, the achievement gap between children from high- and low-income families over the last 50 years now far exceeds the gap between white and black students.  This fact is as thought provoking as it is disturbing.  The National Assessment of Educational Progress shows that more than 40 percent of the variation in average reading scores and 46 percent of the variation in average math scores across states is associated with variation in child poverty rates.  Unfortunately, international research tells a similar story.   Results of the 2009 reading tests conducted by the Program for International Student Assessment show that, among 15-year-olds in the United States and the 13 countries whose students outperformed ours, students with lower economic and social status had far lower test scores than their more advantaged counterparts within every country.  The statistic belies the following question: can it be possible that the substandard performance of American students on international tests be unrelated to the fact that one-fifth of American children live in poverty?

Thus far, American policy makers continue to take the stance that since they cannot change the backgrounds of students and consequently should focus on the things that they can control.  For example, President George W. Bush’s signature education law, No Child Left Behind, set unrealistic expectations for the nation’s schools.  While President Barack Obama has instituted policies that have primarily concentrated on encouraging school efficiency through judging teacher performance using the test scores of their students as well as promoting the creation of charter schools to encourage competition. 

Federal education policy seems to want to bring all students to high levels of achievement but has taken no consideration for the challenges that disadvantaged students may face.  Can schools alone offset the effects of poverty?  Does the fact that some schools “make it” or “beat the odds” make it reasonable to expect that all schools will or should?  Are the effects of a few years of high quality education enough to make a significant impact in the lives of underprivileged children over the long term?  Can we really address education as a singular issue?  Since education policy makers can’t take on poverty itself, should they try to provide poor students with the social support and experiences that middle-class students enjoy as a matter of course? 

As NYC continues to struggle to open more charter schools where children have access to free and excellent education with no zip code encumbrances, the questions for me are some of the ones I posed to you, my readers.  Frankly, I'm on the fence about whether or not the academic gains are long term and charter models can be scaled up to address the needs of larger populations of disadvantaged students.  We cannot ignore that families that deal with financial crisis on a daily basis don't have the where-with-all let alone the resources to invest in enriching activities, especially during the summer months when the most learning loss occurs.  Low-income parents are in a constant struggle to provide basic care such as food, clothing, housing and the provision of adequate medical care to their families.  Given that national and state budgets are stretched and the weighty political power of conservative groups aren't likely to dedicate a significant amount of effort to the goal of poverty reduction at this time in our history, I'm not certain what this means for the low-income and financially disadvantaged children across our nation over the long haul.  I am certain, however, that having access to a high quality education, if only for a few years, will certainly not hurt.    

Weigh in faithful readers… put on your thinking caps and let’s go WAY BEYOND Z!      

Repost of Bullies are always cowards at heart...

Bullies are always cowards at heart...

... and may be credited with a pretty safe instinct in scenting their prey.


                                                                                                                            ~Anna Julia Cooper

Bullying is a white-hot topic in the media right now and has also been a topic of particular concern this school year at Harlem Success Academy 3 (HSA3). Approximately one third of the concerns that have been expressed by parents to the Parent Council Executive Council (PCEC) this year have been around the topic of bullying.

A word of advice to concerned HSA3 parents: HSA3 has a ZERO TOLERANCE policy in reference to bullying, and so should we all. Bullying is hurtful, harmful, unbecoming of a scholar (or any other member of a civilized community), and damaging on so many different levels. Unfortunately bullying is widespread and apparently commonplace in American schools.

What is Bullying?

Bullying is defined as when a person is exposed, repeatedly and over time, to negative actions on the part of one or more other persons, and s/he has difficulty defending himself or herself. Bullying is aggressive behavior that involves a behavioral pattern repeated over time that displays an imbalance of power and strength.

Bullying behavior can include:

Verbal bullying (derogatory comments and name calling). Bullying through exclusion or isolation. Physical bullying (hitting, kicking, shoving, spitting, etc.) Spreading lies and false rumors. Being threatened or being forced to do things. Racial bullying (racially motivated name calling and physical aggression). Having money or other things taken or damaged by the bully. Sexual bullying. Cyber bullying (aggressive or insulting emails, IMs, or other negative behavior transmitted through electronic means or social networking sites).

The Impact Of Bullying

Bullying has wide reaching effects that affect more than just the victim of the bullying behavior. Kids deserve to be safe at school, but when they experience bullying the effects can be serious and long-lasting. Victims of bullying may suffer from depression, low self-esteem, poor grades, and suicidal thoughts or actions in severe cases.

Those who bully are more likely than others to get into frequent fights, steal and vandalize property, drink alcohol, smoke and report poor grades. Be warned though that not all bullies have obvious behavior problems. Some bullies are highly socially skilled. This trait is even more common of girls who bully.

Observers of bullying, may also feel that they are in an unsafe environment. They may feel fearful, powerless to act, guilty for not acting and tempted to participate.

Schools with bullying issues also suffer the consequences of bullying. When bullying continues and a school does not take action, the entire school climate can be affected. The school develops an environment of fear and disrespect, students have difficulty learning, students fell insecure, dislike school and perceive that teachers and staff have little control and don't care about them.

Bullying Statistics

1 out of 4 kids is bullied. The America Justice Department says that this month 1 out of every 4 kids will be abused by another youth. Surveys show that 77% of students are bullied mentally, verbally and physically. 1 in 5 kids admit to being a bully or doing some bullying. 8% of students in America miss 1 day of class per month for fear of bullies. 43% of American school kids fear harassment in the bathroom at school. Every 7 minutes a child is bullied. Adult intervention - 4%. Peer intervention - 11%. No intervention - 85%.

In short, bullying is real! If you suspect that your child is the victim of bullying, DO NOT ignore it and expect that the behavior will resolve itself. Parents need to be the one trusted place that kids can go when things go wrong. Be a resource for your child! If they come to you with a concern regarding this topic move swiftly, Go Beyond Z to investigate and put an end to this negative, unwanted and damaging behavior. Your first recourse should be to speak to your child's teacher. If no acceptable resolution is reached or if the unwanted behavior is ongoing, request a meeting with the administration at your school. 

A very interesting article about the state of education in America since Roe vs. Wade.  This article was published in the NY Times OpEd section.  

 

OP-ED COLUMNIST

Separate and Unequal

By BOB HERBERT

Published: March 21, 2011

One of the most powerful tools for improving the educational achievement of poor black and Hispanic public school students is, regrettably, seldom even considered. It has become a political no-no.

Damon Winter/The New York Times

Bob Herbert

Go to Columnist Page »

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Educators know that it is very difficult to get consistently good results in schools characterized by high concentrations of poverty. The best teachers tend to avoid such schools. Expectations regarding student achievement are frequently much lower, and there are lower levels of parental involvement. These, of course, are the very schools in which so many black and Hispanic children are enrolled.

Breaking up these toxic concentrations of poverty would seem to be a logical and worthy goal. Long years of evidence show that poor kids of all ethnic backgrounds do better academically when they go to school with their more affluent — that is, middle class — peers. But when the poor kids are black or Hispanic, that means racial and ethnic integration in the schools. Despite all the babble about a postracial America, that has been off the table for a long time.

More than a half-century after the landmark Brown v. Board of Education school desegregation ruling, we are still trying as a country to validate and justify the discredited concept of separate but equal schools — the very idea supposedly overturned by Brown v. Board when it declared, “Separate educational facilities are inherently unequal.”

Schools are no longer legally segregated, but because of residential patterns, housing discrimination, economic disparities and long-held custom, they most emphatically are in reality.

“Ninety-five percent of education reform is about trying to make separate schools for rich and poor work, but there is very little evidence that you can have success when you pack all the low-income students into one particular school,” said Richard Kahlenberg, a senior fellow at the Century Foundation who specializes in education issues.

The current obsession with firing teachers, attacking unions and creating ever more charter schools has done very little to improve the academic outcomes of poor black and Latino students. Nothing has brought about gains on the scale that is needed.

If you really want to improve the education of poor children, you have to get them away from learning environments that are smothered by poverty. This is being done in some places, with impressive results. An important study conducted by the Century Foundation in Montgomery County, Md., showed that low-income students who happened to be enrolled in affluent elementary schools did much better than similarly low-income students in higher-poverty schools in the county.

The study, released last October, found that “over a period of five to seven years, children in public housing who attended the school district’s most advantaged schools (as measured by either subsidized lunch status or the district’s own criteria) far outperformed in math and reading those children in public housing who attended the district’s least-advantaged public schools.”

Studies have shown that it is not the race of the students that is significant, but rather the improved all-around environment of schools with better teachers, fewer classroom disruptions, pupils who are more engaged academically, parents who are more involved, and so on. The poorer students benefit from the more affluent environment. “It’s a much more effective way of closing the achievement gap,” said Mr. Kahlenberg.

About 80 school districts across the country are taking steps to reduce the concentrations of poverty in their schools. But there is no getting away from the fact that if you try to bring about economic integration, you’re also talking about racial and ethnic integration, and that provokes bitter resistance. The election of Barack Obama has not made true integration any more palatable to millions of Americans.

I favor integration for integration’s sake. This society should be far more integrated in almost every way than it is now. But to get around the political obstacles to school integration, districts have tried a number of strategies. Some have established specialized, high-achieving magnet schools in high-poverty neighborhoods, which have had some success in attracting middle class students. Some middle-class schools have been willing to accept transfers of low-income students when those transfers are accompanied by additional resources that benefit all of the students in the schools.

It’s difficult, but there are ways to sidestep the politics. What I think is a shame is that we have to do all of this humiliating dancing around the perennially uncomfortable issue of race. We pretend that no one’s a racist anymore, but it’s easier to talk about pornography in polite company than racial integration. Everybody’s in favor of helping poor black kids do better in school, but the consensus is that those efforts are best confined to the kids’ own poor black neighborhoods.

Separate but equal. The Supreme Court understood in 1954 that it would never work. But our perpetual bad faith on matters of race keeps us trying. 

Pajama Day at HSA

The pajama parade in front of Harlem Success Academy 3 began at around 7:25am on February, 17, 2011.  Throngs of pajama clad elementary school scholars began rounding the corner on Lexington Avenue, hopping out of cars and taxi cabs on 111th Street, making their way in nightgowns, pajama pants and nightshirts from the nearby 110th Street subway station and local bus stops on Lexington and Second Avenues.  It was officially PAJAMA DAY at HSA3!  The scholars were greeted at the entrance by pajama clad teachers and school administrators aptly outfitted in their PJs and prepared to join in the fun.  

Scholars and teachers alike bound up the 5 flights to the gymnasium where there was an all school Community Circle, led by Ms. Johnson, of Whitman College, who was appropriately dressed in elephant pajama pants!       

Community Circle began with interesting facts about all the colleges represented at HSA3.  This information was researched and presented by third grade scholars.  There was a celebration of scholars born in February, and a dance contest.  An amazing time was enjoyed by all!  After Community Circle, scholars returned their classes to continue the pajama party then settle down to the business of being Beyond Z scholars.

Kudos and a resounding Hamburger Patty Cheer to whomever thought up the Pajama Day celebration!

Is charter school for my child??

On January 16, 2011, I posted an article about HSA opening a school in Brooklyn.  One of the comments posted to the blog was from a parent of a 4-year-old boy who was seeking advice regarding choosing a school for his/her child.  I get this question so often that I felt my response deserved a post of it's own.  Thank you "Anonymous" for  asking and I hope that you find my response helpful.  In addition, I encourage anyone else to post constructive comments to this post.


Anonymous said...
I am the parent of a 4 year old son who is currently attending pre-k and will be attending kindergarten this September. My husband and I have been searching high and low for a school that is the right fit for our son. We would like him to be in an atmosphere where he is getting the best education offered as well as in an environment where he can be himself (a child). What we are finding so far (which is just from speaking with staff and parent's) is that education wise the charter schools surpass the other schools but we are a little leary because they seem to be a lot more militant. Don't get me wrong structure is great but boot camp is not! We would like our son's school experience to be one that he enjoys and learns a great deal from.

Does any parent who has children in Charter schools have any advice/comments?

February 10, 2011 10:23 PM 

As you have surely figured out by now, I am the parent of two charter school students.  I am in total agreement with you that your son's early school experience is one that should inspire a life long love of learning not an environment where all semblance of fun is dashed away in favor of drills and regimented activity.  I will begin by saying that all charter schools are not created equally and I encourage you to visit any and all charter (and non-charter) schools that you may be considering sending your son to.  Only you know your child and what type of environment may be a good fit for him.  I also firmly believe in checking the track record of student achievement at any school that you may be considering.  I find it hard to believe that failing or poor performing schools will turn their success rate around in the space of a school year and a year in the academic life a young child is way too important to sacrifice for a poorly thought out choice.


My experiences with the Harlem Success Academy have been outstanding!  I love the disciplined environment where negative behavior is curbed immediately so that real learning can take place.  Children are expected to listen attentively and respectfully when others are speaking and raise their hands when they want a turn.  Hallways and classrooms are kept tidy not by punishing children or shaming them into cooperation but by instilling a sense of cooperative responsibility for shared space.  Negative behaviors are met with real world consequences such as loss of rewards or short spells spent away from the main core of the student group which is usually engaged in a fun and interactive learning activity.  Classrooms are bright and engaging and active thinking, group discussion and participation are encouraged.  Science is offered 5 days a week beginning in Kindergarten and every science lesson is hands-on with children participating in experiments followed up with discussions about their observations.  All children participate in "specials" classes which include chess, art and music where once again they are engaged in fun activities while learning to play chess, an instrument or creating amazing works of art.  


As far as boot camp... if that is what some choose to refer to it as, then my children wake me up at 5:30 every weekday morning from August to June and eagerly subject themselves to it!  Most of the scholars are unhappy about not seeing their friends and teachers on weekends and during the summer break.  Yes, there is a level of indoctrination.  HSA students (and their families) will refer to themselves as scholars and recite their college and anticipated year of graduation without being asked.  They will also interject when they observe you not adhering to the school's ACTION values which include Agency, Curiosity, Try and Try, Integrity, Others and No shortcuts.  I have also been subjected to verse after verse of school songs and cheers that are unique to each school location.  My kids are extremely pushy when it comes to reading to them and ensure that I do so whether or not I want to, as parents are also required to complete reading logs of books read to their scholars.  In short, the HSA community is less of a boot camp and more of a way of life.  HSA happens to be aligned with things that I value and find agreeable.  Ensure that any school that you choose for your child is a comfortable fit for your family.  
      

The Audacity of Hope... in Akron

So, by now I'm sure that everyone has heard of Kelley Williams-Bolar, from Akron, Ohio who was arrested, indicted on two felony Larceny charges and imprisoned.  This whole fiasco came as a result of her trying to seek-out a quality education for her daughters outside of the drug-ridden and failing schools that were available to them by virtue of their zip code.  Yes, this woman was arrested, indicted, and imprisoned for being poor and having the audacity to want better for her children!  Sadly, this is what happens when there aren't any educational choices available to families who do not have the means to pay for a private education when the only free education available to them is sub-standard.

Ohio mother Kelley Williams-Bolar is led off to jail after her conviction.    

America has certainly lost its way when municipalities would rather spend tax-payer monies to prosecute parents who attempt to improve the lot of a child than use the same tax dollars to educate said child.  This is shameful, and as a society, we should all be embarrassed.  Use your heads America!  Parent Choice is a necessary option.  I agree that traditional public education should be reformed; however, I also firmly believe there has to be a more immediate interim solution.  Parents need options while the slow bureaucratic wheels of the Department of Education turn. 


Read the following commentary on the sad tale of the Ohio mother by Roland Martin, CNN Political Journalist:      
Ohio woman jailed for sending kids to school just wanted a choice

By Roland S. Martin, CNN Political Contributor

January 29, 2011 9:29 a.m. EST

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• Roland Martin says Ohio mom's actions are no surprise
• She wanted to make sure her children got a quality education, he says
• We have an education system that is unequal, unfair and not equitable, he says
• He proposes voucher system that would allow various kinds of education

RELATED TOPICS

• Education Policy
• Ohio
• Roland S. Martin

Editor's note: Roland Martin is a syndicated columnist and author of "The First: President Barack Obama's Road to the White House." He is a commentator for TV One Cable network and host/managing editor of its Sunday morning news show, "Washington Watch with Roland Martin."

(CNN) -- If you lived in a crime-ridden neighborhood where your home was broken into a dozen times and the school your children were zoned to was low-performing, wouldn't you take drastic measures to ensure they got a quality education?

That's exactly what Kelley Williams-Bolar did, pulling her 12- and 16-year-old daughters out of the decrepit school they attended in Akron, Ohio, and enrolling them in a suburban district where her father lived.

Williams-Bolar used her father's address, where she alleges she lived part-time. Yet the Copely-Fairlawn School District felt she was lying about being a resident, and hired a private eye to follow her, videotaping Williams-Bolar leaving her public housing home and dropping her children off at the suburban school.

They confronted Williams-Bolar, demanded that she repay the district $30,000, saying she didn't have the right to have her daughters in the district since she wasn't a taxpayer.

When she refused, Williams-Bolar was indicted on two felony charges, found guilty and sentenced to 10 days in prison. Because of the felonies on her record, the aspiring schoolteacher will never be able to enter the classroom.

Once the story hit the national media, it led to significant coverage, angering folks nationwide.

Some see this as an issue of race: The mother and her children are black; the district is largely white.

But that really isn't the fundamental issue. What this problem should highlight for anyone is the clear disparities in urban and suburban school districts, and how we have an education system that is unequal, unfair and not equitable.

Too many Americans are delusional in thinking we have a national education system that is fair. It isn't. We all know that you can go from community to community and see some elementary, middle and high school campuses that look like college campuses, while others look like prisons.

Those districts with money hire teachers with master's degrees and Ph.D.s; those with little money rely on those with only teacher certificates. Those with money can invest in iPads and laptops; those without are thankful just to have enough chalk, erasers and pencils. It's so bad that teachers nationwide often dip into their own pockets just to purchase school supplies for many of their students. Yet well-to-do schools might have athletic complexes that rival universities in top athletic conferences.

Did Williams-Bolar break the law? Yes. Was the sentence she was given fair? Of course not. And I dare say many of us, when faced with a school system that will put our children further and further behind the learning curve, would have a "by any means necessary" focus to ensure they had the best chance to succeed.

In his State of the Union address, President Barack Obama presented his bold vision to transform our nation's education system, but when the bulk of dollars come from local property taxes, there isn't much the federal government can do.

That means if you live in a well-off neighborhood, you're likely to see thousands more dollars being spent on education in that district than in districts where the property values are much lower.

The jailing of Williams-Bolar also raises the controversial issue of school choice. The Obama administration says it fully supports school choice, but that is limited to charter and magnet schools.

I've long contended that all choices should be presented to parents, including vouchers, allowing those from the worst-performing schools to be able to take the dollars allocated for their child and enroll in a private or parochial school.

If we are going to truly confront the education crisis in this country, nothing should be off the table. Whether we like it or not, there is no one way to educate a child. Take your pick: public school, private school, home school, charter schools, technical schools, college preps, ROTC academies, magnet programs, all-male, all-female, even online-only schools. You name it, I'm for it.

All Williams-Bolar wanted was for her kids to have a shot. And at the end of the day, that's what we all should want. But it is going to require men and women of conscience to stop with our attitude of protecting what we see as ours and be willing to create an educational system that is truly one this nation could be proud of.

The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Roland S. Martin.

Repost of Trapped By a Zip Code

As the 2011 advocacy season is well under way for those of us who want to see the Charter School Movement grow and thrive, I thought to repost an entry that I originally posted on April 26, 2010.  This post speaks to the warehousing of children in failing schools in poor school districts.  This issue of having children bound to failing schools based on nothing other than their zip code, for me, is one of the primary reasons to to open the playing field and enhance the realistic educational choices available to parents in reference to acquiring a free and excellent education for their children.  Happy reading, and a HSA roller coaster cheer for those of you who become motivated and get involved after reading Way Beyond Z!      

Trapped By A Zip Code

NYC Public Charter Schools are under fire, and as a result may be legislated right out of business. As the insults fly, angry mobs of picketing, flyer-shoving parents form and politicians strategize how best to woo their constituents, the youngest, and among the most vulnerable of our citizenry, are being ignored and overlooked. The real victims or beneficiaries of this less than civil discussion are the one million or more school aged children who’s present and future are tremendously affected by the decision whether or not to allow them access to a free, quality education. Charter Public Schools are free, independently run public schools open to all New York City students. They are innovative in terms of policy and curriculum and the students are diverse. Public Charter Schools are an environment where teachers are empowered and schools are accountable. They serve regular as well as special education students and unfortunately do more with less operating funds.

My story is not so unique. My family and I live in the Mott Haven section of the Bronx. Well before the age at which my children would begin their formal education, my husband and I began to search for performance statistics of my neighborhood public schools. Much to my dismay, I found dismal statistics in reading and math and also realized that most traditional public elementary schools have not the resources, or so I believed, to teach science in primary school. I contacted schools outside of my district in reference to admission practices only to find out that my children would require a much coveted waiver in order to place my children outside of their neighborhood and in a better performing public school. It seemed that they were being held captive by their parents’ choice to live in Mott Haven. Being a product of private and parochial schools, I considered this a viable option, only to find out that these spaces are also coveted and scholarship funding is reserved only for the exceptionally academically gifted or most impoverished. My children fit neither of these descriptions. We were faced with making the decision that all parents dread. Accept sub-standard education that my children would receive because of their unfortunate zip code or sacrifice basic necessities to educate them properly. 

Let’s think “beyond Z” people! Children and their parents who happen to have zip codes that tether them to failing schools are expected to accept this as their only option or make the decision to live from hand to mouth in order to pay for a private education. Unfortunately, time stands still for no one and the children of New York City don’t have time for an ailing school system to be revived when there are excellent public charter schools now. I wish for all NYC children to be the beneficiary of a free, quality education not the victims of political opportunists who are only concerned with securing their seats in the upcoming election. I now pose this question to all New Yorkers, “What do you expect for the children of our city, access to excellence or mediocrity?” Frankly, even one school year is too much time to waste, much less an entire elementary education. You decide… 

Have a Beyond Z Day!

Charter Schools Outperform Traditional Public Schools

The National Center for Policy Analysis (NCPA) has issued a report via their Daily Policy Digest on January 21, 2011.  This report strongly suggests that public charter schools outperform traditional public schools.  Some points are listed below and a link is provided so that you can view the entire policy brief.  

• Principals at charter public schools are allowed to control their budgets, teaching staff and educational programs with little or no central bureaucratic control.
• States with well-designed charter schools hold administrators accountable for student performance.
• Charter public schools that consistently fail to educate students can be closed or placed under new management.

According to Finne's study:

• Charter public schools are popular with parents -- 365,000 students are on waiting lists to attend a charter public school.
• Across the nation, over 1.7 million children now attend 5,453 charter public schools -- this number increased by 9 percent in 2010 alone.
• Well-run charter public schools perform significantly better than traditional public schools.
• Charter public school students are no different in academic background and motivation than students attending traditional public schools.
• Charter public schools in Massachusetts and elsewhere have closed the achievement gap between minority and white students.

Charter Schools Outperform Traditional Public Schools

Explore Charter School Tries Something New

IN A FIRST, NEW CHARTER TO ABSORB STUDENTS LEAVING CLOSING SCHOOL

01.13.11 / GothamSchools

According to GothamSchools, city officials are planning to replace a struggling Brooklyn elementary school with an unusual charter school next year — the first in the city to give admissions preference to students stuck in the closing school:

If the citywide school board, known as the Panel for Educational Policy, votes to phase out P.S. 114 in Canarsie, Brooklyn starting next year, two new schools will open in the building. One will be a typical zoned elementary school for all students in District 18. The other will be Explore Charter School — the first charter school in the city that will give admissions preference to students at the low-performing school it replaces.

When most New York City charter schools open, they typically give admissions preference to students who live in a certain district. These districts usually encompass several neighborhoods and a handful of public schools, allowing the charter to draw students from all over the region.

But Explore plans to operate differently.

Current kindergarten, first-grade, and second-grade students at P.S. 114 will be given preference in Explore’s lottery, which means they have the best chance of getting one of 224 seats. If there’s still room, second preference will go to students who are zoned for P.S. 114, but attend other schools (this is about half the students in the zone). After them, preference will go to students throughout District 18 who are attending schools that are being phased out for poor performance.

“What’s very different about this is we’re saying to parents and kids in a school that’s failing, here’s an option that does not ask you to relocate or leave your community,” said Morty Ballen, CEO of the Explore Schools network. “It’s about you and your community; we’re staying right here.”

Many charter schools only admit students in the youngest grades, which means that they work with students who have never enrolled in a struggling school, or who only attended for one year. By contrast, Explore’s new school will open with kindergarten through third grade. That means many of its students will likely have spent several years at P.S. 114 and who may already be significantly behind grade level. It also means that students at the charter will begin taking state tests in the schools’ first year, so the school will have to boost student achievement quickly.

P.S. 114, which has gone through two principals in the last two years, saw its students’ test scores drop low enough last year to earn the school a D on its progress report. Parents and teachers who believe the school is being unfairly targeted for closure say that school has been burdened by the $180,000 debt left by a principal they asked the city to remove.

The other elementary school the city plans to open in the building next year, P.S. 521, will guarantee seats to P.S. 114 students who don’t apply for the Explore lottery, as well as those who do, but don’t make it in.