We need more Charter Schools in Virginia
Last week we reported that the Thomas Jefferson Institute for Public Policy had announced the results of a survey they conducted with the Black Alliance for Educational Options on the issue of school choice.
The survey highlighted the concerns of parents in Petersburg, Norfolk and Richmond, and their desires for greater educational options.
In other news, Education Week’s annual “Quality Counts” report, Virginia was recognized of their 4th best in the nation ranking. This is good news for Virginia, but as we have said before, general state-wide rankings sometimes fail to recognize the challenges faced by individual students, or even individual regions of the Commonwealth.
This week, Chris Braunlich, of the Thomas Jefferson Institute, has another insightful article in Bacon’s Rebellion, Virginia Needs More Charter Schools. We have written about the need for, and benefits of, charter schools before, including Richmond’s own struggles to form a new charter elementary school.
Mr. Braunlich writes:
Virginia educators are justifiably proud of their ranking – 4th best in the nation – according to Education Week’s annual “Quality Counts” report.
The Old Dominion scored far higher than the national average on every indicator, earning an A in the important “standards, assessments and accountability” category.
But in shouting huzzah, we run the risk of overlooking clear pockets of failure.
Consider the systems of Norfolk, Richmond, Roanoke and Petersburg, which seem unable to break out of a spiral of academic failure. All have five or more schools failing to meet state accreditation. In some cases, the schools have been on a watch list for years, and in the case of Petersburg the number of failing schools actually increased. There, 53 percent of seventh graders cannot read on grade level and the response has been typical for bureaucracies: a five-year series of “Memoranda of Understanding,” promising corrective actions that have either not taken place or have not worked.
Read the rest of the article here.
Headlines- Petersburg
As we noted yesterday, the Thomas Jefferson Institute and the Black Alliance for Educational Options recently announced the results of their survey on school choice in several Virginia localities.
One of those localities was the City of Petersburg. The Petersburg Progress-Index reported on the survey earlier this week: “Survey shows frustration with schools, choices.”
It’s no secret that many parents in Petersburg are frustrated with the school system. A recent survey completed by the Thomas Jefferson Institute for Public Policy and the Black Alliance for Educational Options shows just how frustrated — and that the desire for options is strong.
“They’re really interested in seeing choices,” said Gerard Robinson, BAEO president.
Chris Braunlich, vice president of the Jefferson Institute, said that the findings contrast with the perception of many that most African-Americans don’t support charter schools or school choice.
“The results indicate that people are interested in seeing options, whether it’s scholarships to attend other schools or charter schools,” Braunlich said.
Thomas Jefferson Institute Reports “Black Neighborhoods Support More Parental Options”
One of our partners here at School Choice Virgina, the Thomas Jefferson Institute for Public Policy, recently announced the results of a survey they conducted with the Black Alliance for Educational Options on the issue of school choice.
Their survey was conducted with more than 2,200 voters in majority African-American voting precincts in the Petersburg, Richmond and Norfolk areas of Virginia. The results, released last week, show that more than 76% of the voters in these areas support school choice for parents.
Support for other educational options, including tax credits, charter schools and scholarships for students with disabilities, is significant among parents and non-parents.
To view the City-by-City results of the survey, click here.
As we have noted before, school choice is an issue that crosses partisan and racial lines. We hope that the legislators who represent these districts will take note of the results of this survey and listen to their constituents when school choice issues come before them in the upcoming General Assembly session.
Choice… but only on THEIR terms
The scores are in and only one Petersburg school remains fully accredited, according to the state Department of Education.
A sad reality for families in Petersburg, and unfortunately a sad reality for too many families in Virginia. While progress is being made across the Commonwealth, it is still unacceptable to have any students trapped in schools that are failing them.
But, there is somewhat of a ray of hope. As a result of the schools continuing to not meet their goals, the school system will be forced to implement some type of choice for students, albeit a choice that is still mostly under the control of the existing school system.
Pyle said the agreement with the Petersburg schools required a major restructuring of the schools if certain objectives weren’t met. “Those objectives have not been met,” Pyle said.
As a result, the school system must put into place a contingency plan that was developed at the time of the agreement with the state. Pyle said the city’s school system will have to work with a lead turnaround partner to create a charter-like program and provide a choice for parents and students.
“Independence in the instructional program is the key,” Pyle said.
He added that the other goal of the program would be to provide the city with a model for its secondary schools. “The city already has a model at the elementary school level with Robert E. Lee Elementary School,” Pyle said.
An independently managed school program has been used with great success throughout the country, Pyle said. Petersburg will be the first school district in the state to implement such a program.
Victory said that how the plan is implemented will be at the discretion of the board.
We hope that the board will give the new program the autonomy and flexibility it needs to be successful for Petersburg students. We just wish that the government would understand the benefits of choice for all students all the time, not just when government decides they want it.
