A new report compares students at charter public schools and district run ones in Oakland, and surprise, they are very demographically similar, though there are some big differences in outcomes especially in high school for Black and Brown students. I am sure lots of folks will pronounce the story over, either pro or anti charter based…
charter schools
After Common Enrollment, What’s Next for Equity in OUSD
Oakland’s raucous debate around including all public schools—charters and district-run in a single enrollment system—is literally much ado about nothing. Common enrollment will not happen in the short term in Oakland—the politics are too hot, and the real beneficiaries, Oakland parents stranded without satisfactory neighborhood schools are relegated to the sidelines. The debate dominated by…
Schools to Celebrate- Fostering Wellness on Staten Island
People said we were crazy when we applied to start John W. Lavelle Prep Charter in Staten Island. It was a college prep middle school that would cater to students with emerging mental health challenges. There were no other models to look at in NY, and these kids often faced immense challenges. This is what…
What Black and Brown Parents Want, What they Get, and Why Charters
Our parents almost universally want more challenging schools, at the same time they rightly believe that education is unequal according to a recent study. I say, rightly, because there is compelling evidence of a broad and wide belief gap about the capacity of kids of color, and in reality, our kids often do get the…
Crappy Arguments About the so-called “Charter Movement” and the Case of 5 Keys Charter School
As a member of the so-called “charter movement” I have to tell you: there is no such thing. Seriously, the “charter movement” is a movement in the same way a bowel movement is a movement (anyone with a capable infrastructure, some inputs, and a little luck can have one—garbage in, garbage out, eat your fiber…