Charter Schools, Connecticut and Florida
With the sad news that Florida courts have struck down their system of charter schools, championed by Jeb Bush - as being unconstitutional, we will take a look at the state of affairs in CT, where Gov. Rell seems to be reluctant to take on the issue - which means the unions. Hey, Gov. Rell - you have some political capital, so use it for something worthwhile.
From the WSJ:
The politics of education reform typically features Republicans
pushing for more choice and Democrats defending the status quo. But not always. In Connecticut, Democrats in the legislature are eager to expand the state's successful charter school model while GOP Governor Jodi Rell refuses to lift a finger to help.
Forty states and Washington, D.C., now have charter schools, which were devised 15 years ago as education laboratories. Charters are public schools -- a fact that opponents like to play down -- but they are not overly burdened by union rules and hence are free to try different pedagogical approaches. A charter might extend the school day, for instance, or pay teachers based on results rather than seniority.
As it happens, Connecticut boasts some of the finest charter schools in the country. In June, the Hartford Courant reported that at "New Haven's Amistad Academy, where 98 percent of students are African American or Hispanic, math and reading scores have risen to triple those of neighboring public schools and equal to scores in [wealthier and predominantly white] Greenwich."
Common Ground High School, a charter in New Haven that caters to
at-risk students, has lower drop-out rates and higher college
participation than regular New Haven high schools. And at Bridge
Academy in Bridgeport, where 96% of students are minority, every
graduate last year was accepted to college. The waiting list for a
charter school in Connecticut averages 200 students, a function of the fact that the state has only 14 charters in operation and caps
enrollment at 300 students per school.
Last year charter proponents urged Governor Rell to lift the
enrollment cap, increase per-pupil spending (charter students receive several thousand dollars less than what the state spends for
non-charter students), and make funding for facilities more equitable. Yet when Ms. Rell released her budget in February, there was no extra money for charters.
It was due only to the efforts of Democratic leaders in the
legislature that Connecticut's charters ultimately received a modest
increase in per-pupil spending and a pilot program for facilities
funding that would allow one charter school -- one! -- access to the same school construction bonding that other public schools receive. Last month, the state board of education -- headed by another reform-minded Democrat -- voted unanimously to expand the state's charter program by 10 schools and $18 million.
Nevertheless, when Ms. Rell presents her new budget next month, she's expected once again to ignore the education reformers. That's because she is running for re-election in November and is seeking the support of the teachers union -- the Connecticut Education Association -- which is dead set against charters and any other education reform that threatens its monopoly. With a job-approval rating that's remained well over 70% since she took office, Ms. Rell has the political capital to take on an entrenched interest that hurts poor kids. But she apparently lacks the political will.
According to the most recent National Assessment of Educational
Progress report, Connecticut has the country's largest achievement gap between rich and poor students in fourth-grade reading, eighth-grade reading and eighth-grade math. Given their successful track record, charters could help Connecticut close that embarrassing gap. Too bad its governor is missing in action.
