Yesterday, a State Board of Education subcommittee recommended that the state close three charter schools, including schools in Wake and Lee counties.
The evidence suggests that there are good reasons to close these charter schools. It wasn’t just a matter of low performance, although it is easy to see why performance did not improve. There seemed to be serious, ongoing administrative and fiscal mismanagement, as well as low quality instruction, at these charter schools.
Here are a few of my concerns:
1. A number of district schools have histories of administrative and fiscal mismanagement and low quality instruction, but rather than face the prospect of closure, the state throws more money and support their way. In the eyes of the state, one kind of public school (district) is preferred over another (charter).
2. Jack Moyer, director of the Office of Charter Schools at DPI, clearly has an adversarial relationship with some charter school leaders and administrators. This is a serious problem.
3. There is no effective charter school advocacy organization in North Carolina. Thankfully, this will change soon.
4. Parents generally (and the black community, in particular) need to do a better job of supporting charter schools.
5. If Torchlight and PreEminent charter schools close this summer, Wake County Schools will have to absorb an additional 600+ students. Thus, it is in the interest of the school district to keep these schools in business.
