Focus on Charter Schools
Summer 2010 Vol. 17 No. 6
At Independence Charter School in Center City, kindergarten students Geonni Gee (left) and Nyla Ringgold-Floyd and classroom assistant Joanne Leibowitz enjoy math and reading online games on a website that a teacher created.
See Also
Tales of wrongdoing growCharter boom – no end in sight
by Dale Mezzacappa
In 13 short years, the charter school movement in Philadelphia has grown from nothing to a network with 67 schools and more than 36,000 students, financed by $400 million in taxpayer dollars.
Counted together, they would be the second largest school district in Pennsylvania.
But today, the work of many dedicated educators who eagerly seized the opportunity to create successful learning communities has been nearly overshadowed by revelations about profiteering, excessive CEO salaries, mismanagement, and nepotism at several charters.
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Showing students a world of opportunities
by Sarah Burgess
Ericka Morris, better known to her 4th-graders as Teacher Ericka, knows how to engage her students. On this day at Independence Charter School, they stand in clusters outside the U formed by their desks.
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Table of Contents
Theme articles
- Charter boom – no end in sight by Dale Mezzacappa
- Charter school data spread
- Web Exclusive Charter school data
- Showing students a world of opportunities by Sarah Burgess
- The ultimate challenge: serving every student by Bill Hangley Jr.
- Politics swirl around efforts to revise charter law by Sarah Peterson
- Alliance seeks to unionize Philly charters by Ron Whitehorne
- Viewing board members' disclosure forms isn't always easy by Paul Jablow
- Parents have praise for charters but want better oversight by Daniel Denvir
- Quicktakes: What's it like going to a charter school? by Benjamin Herold
Other news & features
- Summer program wants 50,000 students to join in by Michelle Welk
- Renaissance Schools must staff up quickly by Benjamin Herold
- Despite deficit, Pennsylvania debates higher school spending by Paul Socolar
- Tweeting from the science trailer by Timothy Boyle
Cartoon
- Summer edition cartoon by Eric Joselyn
Member profile
- Member profile: Helping to keep her school and community informed by Wendy Harris
Notebook news
- We have a winner!
In our opinion
- Charters: Learning some lessons
- Leadership vacuum
From our readers
- No progress after blaming educators
- Hope for our schools
Eye on special education
- A focus on 'extended school year' services in District's expanded summer program by Janet Stotland
School snapshot
- William B. Mann Elementary School
Activism around the city
- Curriculum fair highlights teaching for social justice by Ron Whitehorne
- Community activists question quick school-property deal by Rebecca VanderMeulen
- Youth groups join campaign to help reshape NCLB by Gustavo Martínez Contreras
News in brief
- SRC to vote in August on closing Childs in fall by Paul Socolar
- Parent University holds first graduation ceremony by Michelle Welk
- 57 schools get money to pilot 'weighted student funding' by Dale Mezzacappa
Sports stories
- Getting with the program by Benjamin Herold
En español
- La Escuela Chárter Independence ofrece un mundo de oportunidades por Sarah Burgess
- Sepa sus derechos al matricular en una escuela chárter por Jennifer Lowman
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