Thank you OUSD for throwing some hard numbers into the charter school debates. While I missed 2/22/16 Board engagement session (I was in NYC), I did look at the materials. Big takeaways; students at charter-run schools tend to perform somewhat better on state tests and be more economically disadvantaged. While district-run schools had somewhat greater…
Month: February 2016
Why I Testified in Vergara and Why It Still Matters
(Guest Blog by Brandon DeBose Jr. is a recent graduate of Oakland public schools and is one of nine plaintiffs in the historic education equality lawsuit, Vergara v. California.) I distinctly remember the day I stepped into the courtroom for the very first time. My story made headlines throughout the country—the day a Los Angeles County…
I Saw the Devil- The Need for a Better Abuser List
I saw the Devil. Twice. The first time, I worked at a group home. A small voice, without shaking, said the devil visited him while he slept, and slipped a hand under the covers. That was almost 30 years ago. Then I saw the devil again. This time a former resident from the home sent…
New York’s Unlegislated Charter Cap
Judging by the numbers, the so-called charter movement is dead in NY. Seriously, when you count the number of charter schools that are being closed and subtract them from new charter approvals, you are about at zero last year. This was never legislated, immense needs still exist, and more than anything it shows the triumph…
Is Success Academy Getting a Raw Deal?
Once again, disturbing practices at NYC’s Success Academy Charter Management Organization have surfaced. This time it’s a teacher dressing down a first grader, it’s tough to watch, but here’s the video. Earlier this year the CMO was under scrutiny for its so-called “Got to go“ list. To some Success is getting undue scrutiny, and to…