Monday, August 31, 2009

DON’T EQUATE CHARTER SCHOOLS WITH “CHARTER LITE”

 

LAUSD and Los Angeles has more charter schools and charter schools than any school district –and has a complicated relationship with them. I-Division/Partnership/Pilot Schools are attempts to make charters over to fit someone else's vision or agenda of what charters can or should be.

In her letter, following, to The Notebook, the Independent Voice for Parents, Educators, Students of Friends of Philadelphia Public Schools, charter school parent/proponent Karen Lash reminds us of an obvious fact we are busily denying in LAUSD: That non-charter schools run on the charter school model – in Philly EMO’s (one can almost see the pale students in dark colors listening to Weezer and Blink-182) or Educational Management Organizations – hybrids that combine the “best of both worlds” of charters and traditional schools (thin contracts, ambivalent parent involvement and centrally-accountable administration) to synthesize a lesser result -- underperform charter and traditional models.

The key to charter schools success, where there is success, is the fact that parents consciously make the choice …and in so choosing make a commitment. The  academic success of magnet schools and the SAS program in LAUSD doesn’t depend on elitism or student skill or PHABO* – as much as it depends on parents filing out the application … and consequently following through,

“Choice” cannot be resolved by a 6-1 vote downtown!

Where charter schools work it is like winning the lottery –and unfortunately the lottery metaphor  is far too appropriate - but there is no winning unless one buys the ticket.

Something somewhat like the ticket doesn’t cut it. 

Onward – smf

Karen D. Lash in The Notebook | Summer 2008

To the editors:

After reading the guest opinion by Helen Gym, “Underfunding is only part of the District’s fiscal story” (Summer 2008), I feel that a distinction has to be clearly made: there are significant differences between charter schools and schools run by the District’s education management organizations (EMOs). Putting both into the same category when calling out the District on its spotty multiple-provider model is unfair.

Many charter schools that are part of the SRC’s reform movement are clearly doing better than some traditional public schools. My children’s 2007-08 National Charter School of the Year, MaST Charter, has made Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) in each year of its current charter.

As independent public schools, charters can manage their own instructional programs and faculty, and many have put into place innovative curriculum. EMO schools, on the other hand, have “thin management contracts” that allow the company only to pick its principal, with the rest of EMO staff still District employees. The EMOs, unlike charters, are put in the weaker, less autonomous position of having the responsibility but not the authority.

In making Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP), EMO schools finish third, traditional public schools finish second, and charters do the best. Charter schools should then not be guilty by association or categorized with EMOs.

Keep in mind that when traditional public schools fail, they stay open. Fear of closure keeps charter administrators, principals, and teachers on their game. For 32,000 Philadelphia students, including families like mine that are in both the charter school and traditional public school sectors, the option of school choice inclusive of charters has been a more effective educational model.

Karen D. Lash

The writer is a founding member of Parents Unified for Charter Schools.

* Predominantly Hispanic, Asian Black and Others

LOW PERFORMING SCHOOLS: Subject to Transformation / Take-Over / Give-Away/Privatization /'Green-Dot-ification' under Public School Choice: A New Way at LAUSD

. LOCN NAME Local District School Board Member

No Child Left Behind Rank -PI STATUS

5857 107TH ST EL 7 Vladovic 5
. 7082 10TH ST EL 4 Garcia 5
. 5884 112TH ST EL 7 Vladovic 5
. 5740 118TH ST EL 7 Vladovic 3
. 5822 153RD ST EL 8 Vladovic 3
. 3836 1ST ST EL 5 Garcia 3
. 7274 20TH ST EL 5 Garcia 3
. 7301 24TH ST EL 3 LaMotte 4
. 7288 28TH ST EL 5 Garcia 5
. 3959 42ND ST EL 3 LaMotte 3
. 3932 49TH ST EL 5 Vladovic 5
. 3808 52ND ST EL 7 LaMotte 4
. 3795 59TH ST EL 3 LaMotte 3
. 6795 68TH ST EL 7 LaMotte 3
. 6781 6TH AVE EL 3 LaMotte 5
. 6630 75TH ST EL 7 LaMotte 5
. 5521 95TH ST EL 8 LaMotte 5
. 5534 99TH ST EL I-Design or Partnership School Vladovic 3
. 5505 9TH ST EL 4 Garcia 3
. 8009 ADAMS MS 5 Garcia 5
. 2041 ALEXANDRIA EL 4 Garcia 5
. 2123 ANGELES MESA EL 3 LaMotte 3
. 2178 ARAGON EL 4 Garcia 5
. 2219 ASCOT EL 5 Vladovic 3
. 8028 AUDUBON MS 3 LaMotte 5
. 8038 BANCROFT MS 4 LaMotte 3
. 2315 BARTON HILL EL 8 Vladovic 3
. 2329 BEACHY EL 2 Martinez 4
. 8536 BELL SH 6 Flores-Aguilar 5
. 8543 BELMONT SH 4 Garcia 5
. 8047 BELVEDERE MS 5 Flores-Aguilar 5
. 8057 BERENDO MS 4 Garcia 5
. 8060 BETHUNE MS 7 LaMotte 5
. 2479 BRADDOCK DRIVE EL 3 Zimmer 3
. 2493 BREED EL 5 Garcia 3
. 2521 BRIDGE EL 5 Garcia 5
. 2527 BROAD AVE EL 8 Vladovic 5
. 2616 BUDLONG EL 7 LaMotte 3
. 8066 BURBANK MS 4 Flores-Aguilar 5
. 2658 BURTON EL 1 Martinez 4
. 8080 BYRD MS 2 Martinez 5
. 2685 CABRILLO EL 8 Vladovic 3
. 2726 CAMELLIA EL 2 Martinez 3
. 8571 CANOGA PARK SH 1 Galatzan 3
. 8090 CARNEGIE MS 8 Vladovic 5
. 8575 CARSON SH 8 Vladovic 3
. 8094 CARVER MS 5 Vladovic 5
. 8099 CLAY MS 8 LaMotte 5
. 8245 COCHRAN MS 3 LaMotte 5
. 8102 COLUMBUS MS 1 Galatzan 5
. 3205 COMPTON EL 7 Vladovic 3
. 3219 CORONA EL 6 Flores-Aguilar 4
. 8596 CRENSHAW SH I-Design or Partnership School LaMotte 5
. 8103 CURTISS MS 8 Vladovic 5
. 8104 DANA MS 8 Vladovic 5
. 3315 DENA EL 5 Garcia 3
. 8110 DODSON MS 8 Vladovic 3
. 8600 DORSEY SH 3 LaMotte 5
. 8112 DREW MS 7 Vladovic 5
. 8614 EAGLE ROCK HS 4 Flores-Aguilar 4
. 3521 EASTMAN EL 5 Flores-Aguilar 5
. 8113 EDISON MS 7 Vladovic 5
. 8118 EL SERENO MS 5 Garcia 5
. 3548 ELIZABETH LC 6 Flores-Aguilar 5
. 8123 EMERSON MS 3 Zimmer 5
. 2383 ESPERANZA EL 4 Garcia 5
. 3699 EVERGREEN EL 5 Garcia 5
. 8621 FAIRFAX SH 4 Zimmer 5
. 3740 FARMDALE EL 5 Garcia 4
. 3753 FERNANGELES EL 2 Martinez 5
. 3822 FIGUEROA EL I-Design or Partnership School Vladovic 3
. 8127 FLEMING MS 8 Vladovic 5
. 3877 FLETCHER DR EL 4 Flores-Aguilar 3
. 5781 FLOURNOY EL 7 Vladovic 4
. 3918 FORD BLVD EL 5 Flores-Aguilar 3
. 8132 FOSHAY LC 7 LaMotte 5
. 8643 FRANKLIN SH 4 Flores-Aguilar 5
. 8650 FREMONT SH 7 LaMotte 5
. 4014 FRIES EL 8 Vladovic 5
. 8142 FULTON COLLEGE PREP 2 Martinez 5
. 8151 GAGE MS 6 Flores-Aguilar 5
. 8664 GARDENA SH 8 Vladovic 5
. 8679 GARFIELD SH 5 Flores-Aguilar 5
. 8160 GOMPERS MS I-Design or Partnership School Vladovic 5
. 4219 GRAHAM EL 7 Vladovic 5
. 4247 GRAND VIEW EL 3 Zimmer 3
. 8683 GRANT SH 2 Galatzan 5
. 4274 GRAPE EL 7 Vladovic 5
. 2385 GRATTS EL 4 Garcia 5
. 4295 GRIDLEY EL 2 Martinez 5
. 5849 GRIFFITH JOYNER EL 7 Vladovic 3
. 8168 GRIFFITH MS 5 Flores-Aguilar 5
. 4315 GULF EL 8 Vladovic 5
. 6274 HAMASAKI EL 5 Flores-Aguilar 3
. 4438 HARRISON EL 5 Flores-Aguilar 4
. 8170 HARTE PREP MS 8 LaMotte 5
. 4466 HAWAIIAN EL 8 Vladovic 3
. 4493 HAZELTINE EL 2 Martinez 3
. 4528 HILLCREST DR EL 3 LaMotte 5
. 4534 HILLSIDE EL 5 Garcia 3
. 8179 HOLLENBECK MS I-Design or Partnership School Garcia 5
. 8693 HOLLYWOOD SH 4 Zimmer 5
. 4562 HOLMES EL 6 Flores-Aguilar 5
. 4575 HOOPER EL 5 Vladovic 5
. 4589 HOOVER EL 4 Garcia 3
. 2375 HUGHES EL 6 Flores-Aguilar 4
. 4616 HUMPHREYS EL 5 Flores-Aguilar 5
. 4630 HUNTINGTON DR EL 5 Garcia 3
. 8700 HUNTINGTON PARK SH 6 Flores-Aguilar 5
. 4658 HYDE PARK EL 3 LaMotte 5
. 6880 INDEPENDENCE EL 6 Flores-Aguilar 5
. 8701 INTERNATIONAL ST LC 6 Flores-Aguilar 3
. 8189 IRVING MS 4 Flores-Aguilar 5
. 8714 JEFFERSON SH 5 Vladovic 5
. 8721 JORDAN SH 7 Vladovic 5
. 8208 KING MS 4 Flores-Aguilar 5
. 4786 LA SALLE EL 8 LaMotte 3
. 4775 LANGDON EL 1 Martinez 5
. 4781 LANKERSHIM EL 2 Galatzan 4
. 8217 LAWRENCE MS 1 Galatzan 3
. 8226 LE CONTE MS 4 Zimmer 5
. 8729 LINCOLN SH 5 Garcia 5
. 4904 LOGAN EL 4 Garcia 3
. 4918 LOMA VISTA EL 6 Flores-Aguilar 4
. 4945 LORENA EL 5 Garcia 3
. 4959 LORETO EL 5 Garcia 5
. 8200 LOS ANGELES ACAD MS 5 Vladovic 5
. 8736 LOS ANGELES SH 3 LaMotte 5
. 8228 MACLAY MS 2 Martinez 5
. 8230 MADISON MS 2 Galatzan 5
. 5055 MAGNOLIA EL 4 Garcia 4
. 5068 MAIN ST EL 5 Vladovic 5
. 5082 MALABAR EL 5 Garcia 5
. 5096 MANCHESTER EL 7 LaMotte 5
. 8236 MANN MS 3 LaMotte 5
. 8743 MANUAL ARTS SH I-Design or Partnership School LaMotte 5
. 5137 MARIANNA EL 5 Flores-Aguilar 3
. 8235 MARINA DEL REY MS 3 Zimmer 5
. 8425 MARK TWAIN MS 3 Zimmer 5
. 8237 MARKHAM MS I-Design or Partnership School Vladovic 5
. 5247 MENLO EL 7 LaMotte 3
. 5301 MIDDLETON EL 6 Flores-Aguilar 5
. 5329 MIRAMONTE EL 7 Vladovic 5
. 8768 MONROE SH 1 Galatzan 5
. 8240 MOUNT GLEASON MS 2 Martinez 5
. 8255 MUIR MS 7 LaMotte 5
. 8259 MULHOLLAND MS 1 Galatzan 5
. 5438 MURCHISON EL 5 Garcia 5
. 5446 NAPA EL 1 Galatzan 4
. 5466 NEVIN EL 5 Garcia 4
. 8264 NIGHTINGALE MS 5 Garcia 5
. 8268 NIMITZ MS 6 Flores-Aguilar 5
. 5603 NOBLE EL 1 Martinez 5
. 5630 NORMANDIE EL 7 LaMotte 5
. 5644 NORMONT EL 8 Vladovic 3
. 8283 NORTHRIDGE MS 1 Galatzan 4
. 5699 NORWOOD EL 7 Garcia 4
. 2372 OCHOA LC 6 Flores-Aguilar 3
. 8306 OLIVE VISTA MS 2 Martinez 5
. 8321 PACOIMA MS 2 Martinez 5
. 6005 PARK AVE EL 6 Flores-Aguilar 5
. 6021 PARMELEE EL 7 Vladovic 4
. 8352 PEARY MS 8 Vladovic 5
. 4980 PIO PICO EL 3 LaMotte 5
. 2384 POLITI EL 4 Garcia 3
. 6219 RAYMOND AVE EL 8 LaMotte 3
. 8355 REED MS 2 Galatzan 5
. 8814 RESEDA SH 1 Galatzan 5
. 6301 RITTER EL I-Design or Partnership School Vladovic 5
. 8829 ROOSEVELT SH I-Design or Partnership School Garcia 5
. 6356 ROSCOE EL 2 Martinez 3
. 6425 ROWAN EL 5 Flores-Aguilar 3
. 6438 RUSSELL EL 7 Vladovic 5
. 8358 SAN FERNANDO MS 2 Martinez 5
. 6875 SAN MIGUEL EL 6 Flores-Aguilar 3
. 8850 SAN PEDRO SH 8 Vladovic 3
. 8363 SEPULVEDA MS 1 Martinez 5
. 6665 SHARP EL 2 Martinez 5
. 8377 SOUTH GATE MS 6 Flores-Aguilar 5
. 8871 SOUTH GATE SH 6 Flores-Aguilar 5
. 8153 SOUTHEAST MS 6 Flores-Aguilar 3
. 6918 STATE EL 6 Flores-Aguilar 4
. 8387 STEVENSON MS I-Design or Partnership School Garcia 5
. 6952 STONER EL 3 Zimmer 4
. 6959 STRATHERN EL 2 Martinez 5
. 8396 SUN VALLEY MS 2 Martinez 5
. 6986 SUNNY BRAE EL 1 Galatzan 3
. 6988 SUNRISE EL I-Design or Partnership School Garcia 5
. 8406 SUTTER MS 1 Zimmer 5
. 7014 SYLMAR EL 2 Martinez 3
. 8878 SYLMAR SH 2 Martinez 5
. 7027 SYLVAN PARK EL 2 Martinez 3
. 7219 TRINITY EL 5 Garcia 3
. 8886 UNIVERSITY SH 3 Zimmer 3
. 7384 VALERIO EL 2 Martinez 4
. 8434 VAN NUYS MS 2 Galatzan 5
.
. 7479 VERMONT EL 7 LaMotte 3
. 8462 VIRGIL MS 4 Garcia 5
. 8117 VISTA MS 1 Martinez 3
. 7589 WADSWORTH EL 5 Vladovic 5
. 8928 WASHINGTON PREP SH 8 LaMotte 5
. 8481 WEBSTER MS 3 Zimmer 5
. 7634 WEIGAND EL 7 Vladovic 5
. 7644 WEST ATHENS EL 8 LaMotte 3
. 7654 WEST VERNON EL 5 Vladovic 5
. 7671 WESTERN EL 3 LaMotte 5
. 8487 WHITE MS 8 Vladovic 5
. 8490 WILMINGTON MS 8 Vladovic 5
. 8618 WILSON SH 5 Garcia 5
. 7863 WOODCREST EL 8 LaMotte 5
. 8344 WOODLAND HILLS ACAD I-Design or Partnership School Zimmer 3
. 8493 WRIGHT MS I-Design or Partnership School Zimmer 3