Charters as a Solution?: So Far, States and Districts Have Opted for Anything But

Autor/in	Smith, Nelson
Titel	Charters as a Solution?: So Far, States and Districts Have Opted for Anything But
Quelle	In: Education Next, 7 (2007) 1, S.57-59 (3 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1539-9664
Schlagwörter	Stellungnahme; Federal Legislation; State Officials; Charter Schools; School Districts; Public Schools; Educational Legislation; Educational Improvement; School Restructuring; Educational Change; Politics of Education; Urban Schools; Rorschach Test + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Bundesrecht; Member of the government; Regierungsmitglied; Charter school; Charter-Schule; School district; Schulbezirk; Public school; Öffentliche Schule; Bildungsrecht; Schulgesetz; Teaching improvement; Unterrichtsentwicklung; Schulreformplan; Schulumwandlung; Bildungsreform; Educational policy; Bildungspolitik; Urban area; Urban areas; School; Schools; Stadtregion; Stadt; Schule
Abstract	"Reopening the school as a public charter school" is Option #1 on the list of NCLB's restructuring alternatives for failing schools. But this has not proved a popular choice. NCLB made the bold assumption that states and districts would voluntarily turn over the reins to charter operators. The authors of the legislation must have thought, with so many sticks beating on the backs of schools (test-disaster headlines, parents leaving in droves), the carrot of fundamental change would be irresistible. And it might have been--if it weren't for Option #5, which says you can also try "Any other major restructuring of the school's governance arrangement that makes fundamental reforms." According to two recent reports by the U.S. Department of Education, the early returns on NCLB restructuring are none too promising. But whether federally urged or not, whether formally embraced by district and state officials or not, fundamental change is coming to underperforming schools and systems. As long as charter schools aren't kept from opening or expanding because of arbitrary state caps, parents will continue flocking to them. The charter market share in big cities will continue growing. NCLB gives traditional systems a way to jump-start reform by capitalizing on this powerful trend. If they ignore the opportunity but continue to lose customers, they invite a far less orderly kind of restructuring. (ERIC).
Anmerkungen	Hoover Institution. Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-6010. Tel: 800-935-2882; Fax: 650-723-8626; e-mail: educationnext@hoover.stanford.edu; Web site: http://www.hoover.org/publications/ednext
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10