How to fix our public schools?

[RandomGuy]

Sorry, it was not my intention to offend. I was commenting on the compensation of private (your cousin) vs public sectors.

I'm not so sure that it's socioeconomic as it is the quality/methods of teacher. I'll give you an example - my niece goes to a private Montessori school - there's low teacher-student ratio, lots of resources/funds but the method of teaching math is spiral (introduce a new subject, do a few problems, review previous lessons) not mastery (stay on one topic, do only problems on that topic, master it). Somewhere along the line, she didn't "get" a topic(s) and now at pre-algebra level (7th grade), she is falling apart - can't do word problems which is the ultimate in applying what you understand. Her mother is obsessed with keeping her on this track so that she'll be with the "good" honors kids when she gets to high school. It makes for brutal Thanksgiving lunch when I suggest pulling her out of school, starting with Singapore Math at 1st grade level and work upwards to try to catch whatever gaps she has in her math education.

At least where math is concerned, IMO educators need to focus on MASTERY of basic math (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, fractions, decimals, percents) in the elementary ages. Forget about statistics, graphs, all that fancy stuff meant to impress parents. On the other spectrum of the socioeconomic angle, I have first hand knowledge of my son's charter school in a low-income area that does great. If it did not perform, the parents would send their kids to other magnet or public schools. We have an enrollment period to sign up for a lottery for each magnet school (preference given if you have a sibling at a school) so there are ways out but it takes involved parents. So for us, (student) results and compe ion work - if anything, problems arise in the public schools which have unionized teachers who are hard to get rid of. So you guys don't have any school choice in SA? Is there no accountability of the charter schools - performance wise?

My wife teaches high school science at a very poor, rural school system.

pgardn is very right in that the parents at udes affect children's performance, and that is reflected strongly by their economic status.

The data for the US shows that kids born into poverty, tend to stay in poverty. We should find out why that is, IMO.

[RandomGuy]

Exactly what I have stated. This school district is taking a huge step to possibly solving the problem... Making the school integrated with the family through shelter as well as food. This is what I meant when expressing that the public has not made it clear what they want from education. This Mo. district has. So what do we think conservatives feel about this...

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local...mepage%2Fstory

Gwen McDile, a homeless 17-year-old in Jennings, missed so much school this fall — nearly one day in three — that it seemed she would be unlikely to graduate in June. But then she was invited to move into Hope House, a shelter the school system recently opened to give students like her a stable place to live.

Again, jibes with the problems that my wife's students have. It is hard to teach a kid anything when they are falling asleep from working at night, or staying with the only relative that allows them to live with them because mom/dad is so messed up.

If you don't build a social safety net around the kids you are trying to educate, you have a much harder time getting through.

Conservatives like to about "woe is us, family values, bla bla bla", and bemoaning reality won't help things. Better to do something than simply complain about it.

Ignoring these kids while they are growing up because we don't want to spend the money in the short term costs us far more money in the long term in lost potential economic output.

[pgardn]

Again, jibes with the problems that my wife's students have. It is hard to teach a kid anything when they are falling asleep from working at night, or staying with the only relative that allows them to live with them because mom/dad is so messed up.

If you don't build a social safety net around the kids you are trying to educate, you have a much harder time getting through.

Conservatives like to about "woe is us, family values, bla bla bla", and bemoaning reality won't help things. Better to do something than simply complain about it.

Ignoring these kids while they are growing up because we don't want to spend the money in the short term costs us far more money in the long term in lost potential economic output.

Volunteering.

People should try it.

And now i climb the high horse and declare that some of the best volunteers are associated with, God forbid, Christian Churches. I have a job with intensely long hours followed by dry runs were business can be done via EM waves. So I have the time. Seems like others should based on posting numbers.

[rmt]

Volunteering.

People should try it.

And now i climb the high horse and declare that some of the best volunteers are associated with, God forbid, Christian Churches. I have a job with intensely long hours followed by dry runs were business can be done via EM waves. So I have the time. Seems like others should based on posting numbers.

Volunteering is a requirement of charter schools here and it works - the parents are involved. You are allowed to "pay" for your hours if you can't volunteer and they put the funds to good use - class supplies, paying for PSAT/SAT tests, etc.

Seems like Christians are anathema on this board, but their focus is turning hearts and they do it through service and love. - Prison Fellowship, Habitat for Humanity, etc. One that I disagree with is Operation Christmas Child where they fill shoe boxes with little knick-knacks for underprivileged kids. There was also AngelTree where we delivered gifts to children of prisoners - but some of these kids lived in mansions (from ill gains) and that didn't go over too well. I think the time and energy would be better served doing a Big Brother/Big Sister type program - something more one on one (mentoring) the kids instead of gifts.

[Nbadan]

Volunteering.

Volunteering helps, but half of school age kids in our rich nation grow up in poverty...time to do something about that...

[Nbadan]

Volunteering is a requirement of charter schools here and it works - the parents are involved. You are allowed to "pay" for your hours if you can't volunteer and they put the funds to good use - class supplies, paying for PSAT/SAT tests, etc.

Honestly, you don't want some of the parents in poorer districts to volunteer...at least, not without adult education classes in parenting...

[rmt]

Honestly, you don't want some of the parents in poorer districts to volunteer...at least, not without adult education classes in parenting...

I think they're only doing stuff like chaperoning on field trips, helping with refreshments, things they can't get into too much trouble with :-) I know there's supposed to be separation of church and state, but the schools would benefit from volunteers from churches. LOTS of elderly widows with nothing but time on their hands, and they are excellent at parenting/dealing with kids. You should taste the food they cook when it's potluck at church.

[boutons_deux]

"separation of church and state, but the schools would benefit from volunteers from churches."

that has nothing to do with govt ESTABLISHING religion, unless the Christian volunteers try to teach or proselytize in taxpayer-funded facilities (which is always a risk with the predatory Christian Taliban).

I remember dubya saying volunteers, churches should take care of the poor, not govt.

subtext: the wealthy have said they don't want any of their tax dollars being spent on the poor

AND

Repugs always wanting to cut taxes on the 1% so there wouldn't enough govt dollars to help the 40M+ people on public assistance.

volunteering is great, but it's not systematic enough, not stable enough to share anything but a small part of the total work that is done by salaried staff.

volunteers to charter schools are of course helping the charter schools screw teachers with heavy class loads and lower salaries, while the charter school top staff gets paid extremely well. Head of the Success schools in NYC makes over $400K, and continues to lobby for more tax dollars to prop up Success schools.

[pgardn]

Volunteers are extremely important.

Once you you witnessed it in action... Changed my way of thinking. There are a lot of good people. This country would be much worse off without them.

[boutons_deux]

Fraud is a great way to dump uneducated, functionally illiterate, innumerate kids out of public schools (to save money, so govt can cut school funding even more) and keep teachers, staff from being punished for low graduation rates. Fraudulent diplomas, a moral hazard for teachers and school staff.

As Graduation Rates Rise, Experts Fear Diplomas Come Up Short

GREENVILLE, S.C. — A sign in a classroom here at Berea High School, northwest of downtown in the largest urban district in the state, sends this powerful message: “Failure Is Not an Option. You Will Pass. You Will Learn. You Will Succeed.”

By one measure, Berea, with more than 1,000 pupils, is helping more students succeed than ever: The graduation rate, below 65 percent just four years ago, has jumped to more than 80 percent.

But that does not necessarily mean that all of Berea’s graduates, many of whom come from poor families, are ready for college — or even for the working world.

According to college entrance exams administered to every 11th grader in the state last spring, only one in 10 Berea students were ready for college-level work in reading, and about one in 14 were ready for entry-level college math. And on a separate test of skills needed to succeed in most jobs, little more than half of the students demonstrated that they could handle the math they would need.

It is a pattern repeated in other school districts across the state and country — urban, suburban and rural — where the number of students earning high school diplomas has risen to historic peaks yet measures of academic readiness for college or jobs are much lower. This has led educators to question the real value of a high school diploma and whether graduation requirements are too easy.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/27/us...er=rss&emc=rss

Meanwhile Repugs in red, slave states keep cutting funding to K12 and state colleges. Repugs are ing America into un ability.

[Nbadan]

Fraud is a great way to dump uneducated, functionally illiterate, innumerate kids out of public schools (to save money, so govt can cut school funding even more) and keep teachers, staff from being punished for low graduation rates. Fraudulent diplomas, a moral hazard for teachers and school staff.

It's not fraud...it's no child left behind....the state of education right now is akin to a car company that has grandiose plans to make tons of the most fuel-efficient, stylish, trendy, spacious, muscle-car but still uses the same production line, parts quan y, employee training, technology and management that nearly drove Chevy and Ford to bankruptcy...repeal no child left behind...it doesn't work...

[boutons_deux]

When a school graduates student who is functionally illiterate, innumerate, the diploma is fraudulent.

NCLB doesn't force HSs to fail to teach. Risking loss of funding or being closed because too many kids fail to graduate is the motivation to shove kids out the door with a fraudulent diploma.

[pgardn]

When a school graduates student who is functionally illiterate, innumerate, the diploma is fraudulent.

NCLB doesn't force HSs to fail to teach. Risking loss of funding or being closed because too many kids fail to graduate is the motivation to shove kids out the door with a fraudulent diploma.

This is exactly why testing became hugely popular.

Your solution boots?

[boutons_deux]

This is exactly why testing became hugely popular.

Your solution boots?

education is fundamentally, essentially teaching, so the emphasis has to be on teachers, their education in the subject(s) they teach, their professional training in teaching methods, and their compensation as professionals. I think Finland's example should be followed, where its as hard, rigorous to "break into" teaching as it is for medicine or law or engineering. Bureaucratically, teachers have to be the center, the priority, not the non-teaching staff, principal, sports.

[TDMVPDPOY]

can someone tell me why a principal gets paid the most when they dont teach any subjects, even if they did....it be some lame ass easy subject

their job is to balance the books and hire teachers....

maybe school sucks monkey cause principal is earning half the schools budget

[rmt]

How high should our property taxes be raised to pay teachers so that it's worth it for them to go into teaching instead of medicine, law or engineering? I would hazard that the majority of a school system's budget is going toward salary, health care and pension. The way it's set up over here, if you have a degree in a subject, you can teach in that subject. If not, you either have to take 18-30 college credits in that subject or pass that subject content test.

The problem is that for the elementary ages, typically ONE teacher teaches all the subjects - how is it going to be possible to have professional training in teaching methods in math, language arts, social studies and science especially when it's the poorest students who are themselves becoming teachers (especially elementary because they can't handle the specific subjects in depth). I would guess that the majority of them don't really know math past the basic math facts - that word problems in fractions, decimals or percents would give them problems. How then are they to teach the student? This is the stage that I think students get lost in - they're getting lost before middle school where each subject is taught by one teacher.

As far as administration/principals are concerned - just like a company the CEO/managers get paid the most - not the people doing the actual work. Why would we think that it'd be any different in the schools?

[pgardn]

How high should our property taxes be raised to pay teachers so that it's worth it for them to go into teaching instead of medicine, law or engineering? I would hazard that the majority of a school system's budget is going toward salary, health care and pension. The way it's set up over here, if you have a degree in a subject, you can teach in that subject. If not, you either have to take 18-30 college credits in that subject or pass that subject content test.

The problem is that for the elementary ages, typically ONE teacher teaches all the subjects - how is it going to be possible to have professional training in teaching methods in math, language arts, social studies and science especially when it's the poorest students who are themselves becoming teachers (especially elementary because they can't handle the specific subjects in depth). I would guess that the majority of them don't really know math past the basic math facts - that word problems in fractions, decimals or percents would give them problems. How then are they to teach the student? This is the stage that I think students get lost in - they're getting lost before middle school where each subject is taught by one teacher.

As far as administration/principals are concerned - just like a company the CEO/managers get paid the most - not the people doing the actual work. Why would we think that it'd be any different in the schools?

The teaching is NOT the major problem.
Its not even close. When people actually vie for teaching positions that require expertise where the teachers are allowed to teach willing students you will get good teaching.

There are very few good teachers that want to enter situations where they become baby sitters or just an adult watching adolescents who don't want to be there. RMT and boots keep wandering down the same path. If you combine good teachers with kids who want to be there good things, great things happen. Visit AP classes were the teacher is an expert and the kids choose to be there. These are the best classes in the world.

Now go to a school in trouble who can only hire a teacher willing to baby sit... The majority of good teachers don't enter the profession to discipline... Why can't you guys get this? You can crush the life out of very good teachers sending them into classes that are unteachable. They would be better off teaching in a prison where inmates choose to take the class.

Again, the problem is public schools mimic the socioeconomics of the area they serve. This is the general rule to start with. Now go from there like the Missouri school I noted.

[rmt]

The teaching is NOT the major problem.
Its not even close. When people actually vie for teaching positions that require expertise where the teachers are allowed to teach willing students you will get good teaching.

There are very few good teachers that want to enter situations where they become baby sitters or just an adult watching adolescents who don't want to be there. RMT and boots keep wandering down the same path. If you combine good teachers with kids who want to be there good things, great things happen. Visit AP classes were the teacher is an expert and the kids choose to be there. These are the best classes in the world.

Now go to a school in trouble who can only hire a teacher willing to baby sit... The majority of good teachers don't enter the profession to discipline... Why can't you guys get this? You can crush the life out of very good teachers sending them into classes that are unteachable. They would be better off teaching in a prison where inmates choose to take the class.

Again, the problem is public schools mimic the socioeconomics of the area they serve. This is the general rule to start with. Now go from there like the Missouri school I noted.

Pgardn, I respectfully disagree and from personal experience. My local K-8 school is in a relatively affluent area - rated "A" for a number of years, but the teaching is crap. My son did 2 classes in this K-8 from 3rd grade up to 8th grade where he transitioned to full-time 8th grade - that was 16 classes in public school. It was pitifully easy to get As in those classes. He transferred to a charter school in a low-income area (of his entire gifted class, only he and one girl are not on free/reduced lunch) and the step up was astounding. I am willing to admit that maybe these two examples are the outliers but is it coincidence that I happen to experience both? The kids in the charter are ambitious, hard-working, tough students. The ones in the K-8 were spoon fed, babied, with no idea of the rigors of high school (maybe this is more a symptom of K-8 [instead of dedicated middle] schools. The economics in the 2 schools is extreme - the richer school goes on a Washington DC trip every 8th grade and either Disneyworld or Universal Studios every year - the low-income goes only on local field trips but their academics is far superior.

This is where I disagree with boutons - he dislikes the charters whereas in Miami, they are among the best schools because they have great la ude and don't have to kowtow to the teachers' union (can get rid of bad teachers). Maybe it's the charter school (regardless of income) because I know other charter schools that are excellent (see Archimedes - a greek charter that my daughter's best friend graduated from). Or maybe it's that there isn't more school choice in low income areas - or that the parents are not involved enough to enroll their kids in something like a charter school and they default to the local public but again that's not the case in my son's charter - word gets around and even though the parents are Spanish speaking immigrants - they know the reputation of the school.

What are your ideas for a solution since you can't cure poverty? Most of them are getting free breakfast, lunch and books. Feed them dinner, uniforms? I still think that regardless of income, the breakdown (especially in math) is in the elementary grades.

[pgardn]

Pgardn, I respectfully disagree and from personal experience. My local K-8 school is in a relatively affluent area - rated "A" for a number of years, but the teaching is crap. My son did 2 classes in this K-8 from 3rd grade up to 8th grade where he transitioned to full-time 8th grade - that was 16 classes in public school. It was pitifully easy to get As in those classes. He transferred to a charter school in a low-income area (of his entire gifted class, only he and one girl are not on free/reduced lunch) and the step up was astounding. I am willing to admit that maybe these two examples are the outliers but is it coincidence that I happen to experience both? The kids in the charter are ambitious, hard-working, tough students. The ones in the K-8 were spoon fed, babied, with no idea of the rigors of high school (maybe this is more a symptom of K-8 [instead of dedicated middle] schools. The economics in the 2 schools is extreme - the richer school goes on a Washington DC trip every 8th grade and either Disneyworld or Universal Studios every year - the low-income goes only on local field trips but their academics is far superior.

This is where I disagree with boutons - he dislikes the charters whereas in Miami, they are among the best schools because they have great la ude and don't have to kowtow to the teachers' union (can get rid of bad teachers). Maybe it's the charter school (regardless of income) because I know other charter schools that are excellent (see Archimedes - a greek charter that my daughter's best friend graduated from). Or maybe it's that there isn't more school choice in low income areas - or that the parents are not involved enough to enroll their kids in something like a charter school and they default to the local public but again that's not the case in my son's charter - word gets around and even though the parents are Spanish speaking immigrants - they know the reputation of the school.

What are your ideas for a solution since you can't cure poverty? Most of them are getting free breakfast, lunch and books. Feed them dinner, uniforms? I still think that regardless of income, the breakdown (especially in math) is in the elementary grades.

We can all find anecdotal evidence to back our claims. I am sticking firmly with my statement. To me, it's a no brainer. Of course there are poor folks who want better for their kids to go the extra mile and demand a good education and actually make the time to accomplish their goals. And of course you will find slackers in any large ins ution who find a nice spot while maintaining incompetence. It's too difficult to fire bad teachers IMO. The pool of replacements is where we run into trouble again.

And as a solution, I really don't know. It will most likely have to be bottom up. Like the Missouri example modified to meet the needs of a particular area. If it was easy, it would be done. You can continue to site the shining stars without looking at the whole if you choose.

Just think about the day and life of a kid/infant raised in a family who cares. The kid is loved and attention is given. There is a smiling face to look at everyday while the child is awake talking to him/her constantly. The child is held and played with regularly. The child has books and toys around, is read to and played with. The child mimics songs that are sung...ABCD... The child counts his toys or whatever with the help of the parents. They count cereal, pieces of grass, whatever... Everyday. It's expected and enjoyed. Schools just refine the process, it starts in the home. The above just gets a kid ready for school. They come in happy and READY.

This is the VERY crucial beginning. You think this is easy for single parents with two jobs and two kids? Now look at the numbers. Now keep going all the way through HS and maybe into college. You think this is easy in poverty?

And for your example above, a section of migrant workers who don't stay in one spot adds to the difficulty of Spanish speakers. It's rife throughout California and Texas. No stability.

[pgardn]

As a generalization/anecdotal evidence I will add that in my experience in San Antonio, Hispanic families with two parents who care raise some of the hardest working most determined kids in this city. I just helped a middle class Hispanic older friend (vacation) water the pets and let em out before I leave for work and come home.

3 kids

One post doc in Austin molecular biology (this is how I met them)
One engineering at MIT
One married and a nurse

This is one among many families I have met in the city that work their butts off. And now I must do the same.
Out.

[rmt]

We can all find anecdotal evidence to back our claims. I am sticking firmly with my statement. To me, it's a no brainer. Of course there are poor folks who want better for their kids to go the extra mile and demand a good education and actually make the time to accomplish their goals. And of course you will find slackers in any large ins ution who find a nice spot while maintaining incompetence. It's too difficult to fire bad teachers IMO. The pool of replacements is where we run into trouble again.

And as a solution, I really don't know. It will most likely have to be bottom up. Like the Missouri example modified to meet the needs of a particular area. If it was easy, it would be done. You can continue to site the shining stars without looking at the whole if you choose.

Just think about the day and life of a kid/infant raised in a family who cares. The kid is loved and attention is given. There is a smiling face to look at everyday while the child is awake talking to him/her constantly. The child is held and played with regularly. The child has books and toys around, is read to and played with. The child mimics songs that are sung...ABCD... The child counts his toys or whatever with the help of the parents. They count cereal, pieces of grass, whatever... Everyday. It's expected and enjoyed. Schools just refine the process, it starts in the home. The above just gets a kid ready for school. They come in happy and READY.

This is the VERY crucial beginning. You think this is easy for single parents with two jobs and two kids? Now look at the numbers. Now keep going all the way through HS and maybe into college. You think this is easy in poverty?

And for your example above, a section of migrant workers who don't stay in one spot adds to the difficulty of Spanish speakers. It's rife throughout California and Texas. No stability.

Pgardn, I fully understand the advantages a child who is loved has - remember I homeschool - it's as personal and child-centric as it comes. But it came at a cost - good, government job & pension, living on one income (I know I about Obamacare but when they want us to spend $19k on healthcare - it's ridiculous) and now, job skills in a field that's moves so fast that I'm a dinosaur. But yes, I spared no expense when it came to speech/physical/occupational therapy because I know that any deficit is best fixed at a young age. It's not just academics but teaching them the right way. The girls at my son's school love him because he's so different - because he opens doors for teachers and females, because he never swears, because he doesn't talk down to people. And because they're then willing to listen to him, he tries to evangelize. This is my reward. I believe that we make the most difference in everyday life, trying to exhibit Christ-like behavior, TURNING hearts. We can throw millions of dollars at the problem, but does it help? Do these kids have hope, something to look forward to and work toward? These are things that can't be bought with money but with people willing to put in the time and effort (like your Missouri principal). Most are not going to go out of their way as she has and does because of her faith. More of these volunteers that you have met - we need a whole army of them.

I read the other thread about the payment card and it's so sad. I totally agree with you about the Hispanic families and their hard work. I see it everyday at my son's school. They know the way out is education. I know I'm gonna get flamed by this, but I don't see it as much in the blacks. I grew up in Jamaica surrounded by blacks and there is a vast difference between them and a lot of the blacks I've met here in the US. I'll give you another anecdote. I was a Brownie Troop leader way back and another troop was having an arts and craft event. I announced both by emails and in the weekly meetings to sign up so that the other troop would know how many crafts to prepare. The night before the event I was arranging where we'd meet, etc and two of the moms (black) who hadn't signed up protested and wanted their girls to go. I explained that I'd already sent the count in and they got very angry screaming at me that it was because they were black that their girls weren't allowed to go. I told them that I would call the other troop and see what I could do. The other moms came up to me and sympathized. Turns out that the black girls did end up going but two girls from the other troop gave up their crafts to accommodate them. This race card that some black Americans use is not evident in Jamaica. There they blame no one even though they are sometimes poorer than the US blacks (there's not much social safety net there) and work hard to get out out their situation.

I don't know what the solution is but people are trying. My daughter is currently at Urbana - a missions conference and they are heavily pushing the multicultural, refugee, racism, (a little) gender issues. Their entire worship team was wearing Black Lives Matter shirts. I'm dismayed by what I see as a missions conference turned political but they excuse it as meeting people where they are. My daughter can't believe I sent her to this - to which I say that when her dad and I went 24 years ago, none of these issues existed. Anyways, continue with the volunteer work, do your little part and I keep praying (even for those on this board - even you, boutons :-) however unwelcome it may be.

[boutons_deux]

Outrage Grows Over Viral NYT Video Showing Charter School Teacher Yelling at, Berating First-Graders


Episode is part of a long line of harsh tactics from the powerful charter school network.

A report in the New York Times Friday showing a Success Academy teacher in Brooklyn berating students has gone viral, sparking outrage from parents, anti-reform activists and education experts. The teacher, Charlotte Dial, who is white, is seen in the minute-and-a-half clip dressing down a room full of first-graders, most of whom are black and Hispanic.

The video was recorded by an assistant teacher at Success Academy who feared Dial’s tactics had gone too far. Upon being shown the video in November of last year by the Times, Success Academy quickly suspended Dial, though she was reinstated a week and a half later.
Success Academy CEO Eva S. Moskowitz, a powerful, well-connected charter school advocate in her own right, insisted to the Times that the incident was “an anomaly.”

http://www.alternet.org/education/ou...berating-first

Moskowitz pays herself nearly half a $M/year, more evidence that the charter school movement is about corruption, sucking down taxpayer $100Ms, and resegregation

[boutons_deux]

A leading charter school advocate’s stunning admission: Online public schools are a colossal disaster

For the second time in three months, the Walton Family Foundation—which has spent more than $1 billion to create a quarter of the nation’s 6,700 public charter schools—has announced that all online public school instruction, via cyber charter schools, is a colossal disaster for most K-12 students.

“If virtual charters were grouped together and ranked as a single school district, it would be the ninth largest in the country and among the worst performing,” co-wrote Walton’s Marc Sternberg and Marc Holley, respectively the foundation’s director of educational giving and its evaluation unit director, in a recent Education Weekcommentary. “Online education must be reimagined. Ignoring the problem—or worse, replicating failures—serves nobody.”

Last fall, the giant foundation, which has pledged to spend its second billion to expand charter public schools nationally between now and 2020, simultaneously released three detailed comissioned studies finding more than two-thirds of America’s 200,000 charter students receiving all of their instruction over the Internet were barely learning the basics.

“The majority of online charter students had far weaker academic growth in both math and reading compared to their traditional public school peers,” their experts’ press release said, after noting that kindergarten-through-high school students need to be in classrooms with live teachers, not occasional faces on computer screens. “To conceptualize this shortfall, it would equate to a student losing 72 days of learning in reading and 180 days of learning in math, based on a 180-day school year.”

Stanford University’s Center for Research on Educational Outcomes, or CREDO, which calculated the semesters of lost learning, looked at virtual charter schools in 18 states. It found enrollments had nearly doubled between the 2009-’10 and 2012-’13 school years, do enting a rapidly growing corner of the charter school industry, which presents itself as an alternative to traditional public schools.

“Based on even modest funding levels of $6,000 per student, 65,000 students [in 18 states] represents a public investment of $390,000,000 annually,” CREDO’s report said.

With 200,000 students in 200 online schools in 26 states, that means taxpayers are now spending upwards of $1.2 billion annually for these failing charter schools.

http://www.salon.com/2016/02/15/the_...dmits_partner/

Rightwingnut extremist 1% ideologues ING UP everything they touch. And don't give a if students are hurt.

[rmt]

You are blaming charter schools for the "failure" of online instruction. That's 2 separate things. In Florida, the online school is run by the counties. Are you willing to put the blame of any online failure on Miami Dade Public Schools or Broward County Public Schools. Online instruction is not a good medium for kids under 6th grade. It's fine for catching up, accelerating, taking classes not offered at the local (middle or high) school but for learning to read, write and do math - no.

[boutons_deux]

You are blaming charter schools for the "failure" of online instruction. That's 2 separate things. In Florida, the online school is run by the counties. Are you willing to put the blame of any online failure on Miami Dade Public Schools or Broward County Public Schools. Online instruction is not a good medium for kids under 6th grade. It's fine for catching up, accelerating, taking classes not offered at the local (middle or high) school but for learning to read, write and do math - no.

online instruction, MOOCs, are mostly failure, just like charter schools fail to educate while succeeding to suck down taxpayers $100Ms.