Charter Schools and accountability

[Bob Wells]

http://www.tampabay.com/news/educat...n-last-a-day-taxpayers-are-the-losers/2196738

Read this article and seeing how accountability has been an issue of discussion at the State and Local level.... just thought I would throw this out for discussion.

 

[DaleDalbey]

No doubt charter schools are a mixed bag, even in Walton County. No doubt though that Seaside is an exceptional school with sterling results.

 

[Bob Wells]

Agreed, but I think it also has to do with the participation of parents and the community it is located in. I don't think it is a for profit and as it has been around a while obviously their business plan appears successful. I was a little shocked by approximately 1/3 of Charter Schools have failed in Florida and yet politics at the State level keeps pushing and taking local control away.

 

[Matt J]

The vast majority of failures are for-profit ventures.

 

[Bob Wells]

The vast majority of failures are for-profit ventures.

That still receive tax dollars to operate. When those elected officials at the State level are so enamored with the Charter School system that they create laws to make it easier to start one and take the ability to deny a charter to from local community/ school board it seems there is a lot of money to be made there even at the mentioned failure rate. I suppose when governments give tax breaks and incentives to businesses, even failing businesses they surely don't do it on the backs of the taxpayer. Governor Scott even hired a defeated Indiana Education Commissioner and a Charter School Proponent to come down here to run our schools. He left in part because of som shady dealings with scores and a charter school in Indiana. Wonder how some of our local State Legislators would feel about leaving local decision making to local elected officials... bet they wouldn't.
Thank you for allowing me my pre-run rant.

 

[Misty]

The vast majority of failures are for-profit ventures.

When you have known thieves running the for profit operations you have no right to expect success.

 

[DaleDalbey]

Agreed, but I think it also has to do with the participation of parents and the community it is located in. I don't think it is a for profit and as it has been around a while obviously their business plan appears successful. I was a little shocked by approximately 1/3 of Charter Schools have failed in Florida and yet politics at the State level keeps pushing and taking local control away.

You are right about non-profit, parental support and total community ( not just Seaside) involvement. Each charter school has a different vision. Some deal with troubled youth, others advanced, etcetera. The thing that cracks me up that many times the same people who hate for-profit charter schools love for-profit medical insurance.