(Image Credit: Tribune News Service)
Back in the late 1960s, almost every automobile sold in America was built by General Motors, Ford, Chrysler or American Motors (later merged with Chrysler). Then the energy crisis hit in the 1970s, and cheap, reliable Japanese compacts made huge inroads, especially against such junkers as Chevy’s Vega and Ford’s explosion-prone Pinto. U.S. companies had become complacent with the lack of competition and were shocked when drivers enjoyed alternatives.
The same has happened to traditional public schools in California as charter schools have given parents and students more choices for education. Charters also are public schools, paid for with tax dollars. But they get to chuck most of the state’s cumbersome Education Code (except for such things as anti-discrimination statutes), allowing the flexibility that advances innovation.
For schools in California, most state tax money follows the student with what’s called average daily attendance. According to the California Department of Education’s website, “Total ADA is defined as the total days of student attendance divided by the total days of instruction.”
The California Charter Schools Act of that year (1992) stipulated, “It is the intent of the Legislature ... to provide opportunities for teachers, parents, pupils and community members to establish and maintain schools that operate independently from the existing school district structure ... to accomplish all of the following:
“(a) Improve pupil learning. (b) Increase learning opportunities for all pupils, with special emphasis on expanded learning experiences for pupils who are identified as academically low-achieving. (c) Encourage the use of different and innovative teaching methods. ... (e) Provide parents and pupils with expanded choices in the types of educational opportunities that are available within the public school system.”
That’s what happened. Opposing charters makes as much sense as buying a used Pinto.
To read John Seiler's entire article, please visit: http://www.ocregister.com/arti...arters-students.html
Comments (2)