The News & Observer published a doozy of an article about today’s State Board of Education vote on a proposed policy framework for the establishment of virtual charter schools in North Carolina.  Lowlights include the following:

First issue: Why include “Christopher Hill” and ” N.C. Justice Center” as tags if neither are mentioned in the article?

The N&O reporter writes, “North Carolina children as young as 5 may soon be able to receive their public school education online from for-profit companies.”  But the policy under consideration clearly says that “virtual charter schools may only serve grades 6 through 12.”  Did she even bother to examine the 37-page document before writing the article?

According to the reporter, “Dozens of school boards from around the state united to persuade a Wake Superior Court judge to prevent the online school from opening last fall.”  Is that how the law works?  Judges are persuaded to rule a certain way based on pressure from special interest groups.  Fascinating.

The reporter points out, “The state board still has concerns about the funding of online charters that it did not address. Virtual charters will receive money according to the same formula that funds all charter schools, even though the virtual schools don’t have to open and maintain buildings. Charter schools receive public money for students, but not for buildings.”  What is wrong with this?  Neither brick-and-mortar nor online charters receive funding for buildings.  Both have to do the best they can with the per-student allocation provided.  Brick-and-mortar charters use a portion of their allotment for buildings, but online charter schools must use their funding to maintain their technological infrastructure.

State Board of Education Chairman Bill Harrison “said he supports virtual schools.”  No, Harrison supports the NC Virtual Public School, the state-run online school.  Like other members of the State Board of Education, it is a monopoly that the state would like to maintain.

Hey, the N&O interviewed Leanne Winner from the NC School Boards Association!