Stories tagged: privatization
Down to the wire on charter talks
Submitted by thenotebook on Thu, 06/13/2013 - 14:59 Posted in Latest news | Permalink
by Connie Langland
With their schools' mandates to operate running out in just a matter of days, leaders of 10 charters are deep into negotiations with District officials who are determined, at least for now, to defer plans by the schools to expand.
Citing the budget crisis, Superintendent William Hite last month announced he would not recommend any charter expansions in the coming year -- a setback to the publicized ambitions of 21 charter schools to add more than 15,000 students over the next five years. Such expansion would cost the District $500 million.
Nonprofit gives $3.4 million to expand two Philadelphia charters
Submitted by thenotebook on Wed, 03/13/2013 - 23:44 Posted in Latest news | Permalink
by Benjamin Herold for NewsWorks, a Notebook news partner
Updated 3 p.m. with quotes from Mark Gleason (PSP), Marc Mannella (KIPP Philadelphia), and Helen Gym (Parents United for Public Education)
The Philadelphia School Partnership (PSP) announced Thursday that it will give $3.4 million to charter school operators KIPP Philadelphia and Scholar Academies so they can expand by a combined 1,500 students.
The moves could mean as much as $10 million a year in unplanned expenses for the struggling Philadelphia School District.
The push to grow KIPP also comes just eight months after the School Reform Commission, citing concerns about academics and cost, mostly denied requests made by KIPP to expand its existing schools in North and West Philadelphia.
Pa. education secretary rejects all 8 proposed cyber charters
Submitted by thenotebook on Mon, 01/28/2013 - 19:37 Posted in Latest news | Permalink
by Benjamin Herold of NewsWorks, a Notebook news partner
Pennsylvania Secretary of Education Ronald Tomalis rejected on Monday all eight cyber charter school applications pending before the state Department of Education.
The schools had hoped to serve a total of almost 10,000 Pennsylvania students at a projected cost to taxpayers of roughly $350 million over the next five years.
Ex-workers claim cyber-charter operator manipulated enrollment figures
Submitted by thenotebook on Tue, 01/22/2013 - 09:15 Posted in Latest news | Permalink
by Benjamin Herold for NewsWorks, a Notebook news partner
Dozens of former employees claim that K12 Inc, a for-profit education company, used dubious and sometimes fraudulent tactics to mask astronomical rates of student turnover in its national network of cyber charter schools, court documents show.
K12 manages Agora Cyber Charter School, based in Wayne, Pa. The company is also involved in pending applications to open two new cybers in the state. The Pennsylvania Department of Education is expected to decide on the proposals later this month.
The former employees allege that K12-managed schools aggressively recruited children who were ill-suited for the company's model of online education. They say the schools then manipulated enrollment, attendance, and performance data to maximize tax-subsidized, per-pupil funding.
Pencils Down: It's time to rethink tests
Submitted by Samuel Reed III on Tue, 10/30/2012 - 13:44 Posted in Social justice in education | Permalink
How reliable are tests in measuring what really matters for 21st-century learning? And should high-stakes tests really be used as a punitive evaluation of teacher quality? With all the controversy surrounding standardized tests and cheating, it’s time for teachers, parents, districts and policymakers to consider alternatives.
Commentary: 'Won't Back Down' won't be real about school reform
Submitted by Helen Gym on Tue, 09/25/2012 - 14:16 Posted in Commentary | Permalink
Last week I attended a local screening of Won’t Back Down, the latest flick from the producers behind the controversial documentary Waiting for Superman.
The film stars Viola Davis and Maggie Gyllenhaal as two moms of special-needs children, one also a teacher, trapped inside their failing public schools while battling an evil union leadership. They decide to take advantage of a state law called the FailSafe (known as the “parent trigger” in most states) in order to take over their public school, close it down, and re-open it under their personal and private management.
Renaissance Schools get thorough airing at SRC
Submitted by Paul Socolar on Tue, 09/25/2012 - 11:03 Posted in Latest news | Permalink
The School Reform Commission held one of its in-the-round monthly strategy meetings Monday evening, looking at District academic performance and Renaissance Schools. It was the first such meeting for new Superintendent William Hite, who praised the format.
The Accountability Review Council (ARC), which has tracked student performance in District and charter schools since the state takeover and creation of the SRC in 2002, reported on its findings for the year.
TAG Philly Story Slam - reframing the 'failing school' refrain
Submitted by Samuel Reed III on Tue, 09/18/2012 - 17:09 Posted in Community voices | Permalink
If you love stories, you should plan to attend TAG Philly's annual Teacher Story Slam. The back- to-school event will be held from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 20, at Zocalo Restaurant, 3600 Lancaster Ave.
Let me tell you a story…
Because the human brain is wired for stories, I bet you were all ready to follow a narrative with an attention-grabbing opening, a topsy-turvy plotline, and some satisfying ending or lesson to learn.
Questionable application processes at Green Woods, other charter schools
Submitted by thenotebook on Fri, 09/14/2012 - 17:22 Posted in Latest news | Permalink
By Benjamin Herold
for NewsWorks, a Notebook news partner
For years, parents have had to jump through astonishing hoops to apply to the popular Green Woods Charter School in Northwest Philadelphia.
Interested families couldn't find Green Woods’ application online. They couldn't request a copy in the mail. In fact, they couldn't even pick up a copy at the school.
Commentary: District-run schools need help to access Partnership funds
Submitted by Guest blogger on Fri, 09/14/2012 - 14:27 Posted in Commentary | Permalink
This guest commentary comes from Christine Carlson. She is a public school parent, a member of the Philadelphia School Partnership advisory committee on Great Philly Schools, and a founder of the Greater Center City Neighborhood Schools Coalition.The Notebook invites guest blog posts on current topics in Philadelphia education from its readers. Contact us at notebook@thenotebook.org to make a submission.
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Last month, the Philadelphia School Partnership announced that it had received significant new funding, propelling it closer to its goal of raising $100 million so that it can award grants to increase the number of “high-performing seats” in Philadelphia schools.
PSP’s stated mission is to contribute to the expansion of all high-performing schools, whether private, charter, or District-run. So far, however, the only schools that have been awarded PSP grants have been private and charter schools.
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