Perdue, Atkinson et al defend charter school cap

In a letter to Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, Governor Bev Perdue, State Superintendent June Atkinson, Kyle Robertson (PTA), Bill McNeal (NCASA), Bill Harrison (SBE), Sheri Strickland (NCAE), and Ed Dunlap (NCSBA) complain about the Obama administration’s support of charter schools.

You have constantly stated that states having a cap on the number of charter schools are at a “competitive disadvantage” for consideration of the “Race to the Top” grant funding. Capping or not capping is not the issue; the issue is whether or not the charters and other schools are making progress to improving learning for all students. Charter schools which are capped at 100 in NC are just one way to innovate and we in NC believe that to use “capping” as the specific criteria is a very narrow way to look at innovative options for successful schools. We hold charters to high standards and accountability so those not reaching improved student achievement are closed so that others may open.

Got that? This raises several important questions, and I include a few of my initial thoughts below.

1. If you acknowledge that charter schools are a source of innovation, why would you want to limit them? There are no caps on the other schools (virtual, Learn and Earn, and STEM schools) mentioned as sources of “innovation” in the letter.

2. If the issue is whether or not charters are “making progress to improving learning for all students,” where is the evidence that are failing to do so? What does it mean to make progress? Are uniform standards of “progress” applied to both charter, district, and other schools?

3. Is it possible to hold charters to high standards and accountability without closing them? Of course it is possible.

4. Does the state close these “other schools” whenever they fail to maintain high standards and accountability. Nope.

Obviously, the education establishment does not support efforts by the Obama administration to increase the number of charter schools. No right-wing conspiracy here.

State education leaders were well aware that President Obama and Secretary Duncan opposed charter school caps. Further, they were aware that, under “Race to the Top,” the feds would penalize states that maintained charter caps. Perdue, Atkinson, et al had a chance to support efforts to raise or eliminate the cap during the recent legislation session. They refused to do so and the state will likely pay the price.