Patrick denies US aid changed his view on charter schools

For years, Governor Deval Patrick had expressed skepticism, if not downright opposition, to expanding the number of charter schools allowed in Massachusetts. As recently as January, he went so far as calling the issue a “total red herring’’ because there was still room to launch more of the schools under state law.

For years, Governor Deval Patrick had expressed skepticism, if not downright opposition, to expanding the number of charter schools allowed in Massachusetts. As recently as January, he went so far as calling the issue a “total red herring’’ because there was still room to launch more of the schools under state law.

But yesterday, Patrick and Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino, another critic, appeared together to officially unveil a proposal to effectively double the number of charter schools in the state’s worst-performing districts.

Standing by their side was President Obama’s education secretary, Arne Duncan, who well may be credited with moving the charter school movement forward in Massachusetts after years of dissension, using stimulus money as the carrot. Duncan and Obama are threatening to exclude states that do not expand charter schools from more than $4 billion in federal funding.

“Politically speaking, leaving money on the table is not a good idea,’’ said Jim Stergios, executive director of the Pioneer Institute, a supporter of charter schools.

Patrick denied that the Obama administration had any influence on his change in position, saying that he was instead swayed by the persistently bad test scores coming out of several school districts.

“I love our president and our administration, but I make up my own mind,’’ Patrick said.

Menino, on the other hand, said in an interview yesterday that Duncan’s strong push for more charter schools, which could better position the city for more federal aid, played a key role in shifting his view, which differs somewhat from Patrick’s. Menino wants the city to control new charter schools in Boston, rather than having the state oversee them.

“I would like to apply for that money,’’ said Menino, adding that those dollars “would be very handy in Boston.’’

Massachusetts is among a handful of states that have jumped onto the bandwagon in the months since the Obama administration first began its push for more charter schools. Both Illinois and Tennessee have decided to expand charter programs.

Charter schools can vary somewhat in structure from state to state. In some cases, states have direct oversight, while in other cases, the schools fall under the jurisdiction of local school districts. Generally, the schools have no teacher unions and operate under fewer regulations than traditional schools. The flexibility is intended to foster innovative teaching methods that could boost achievement.

In Massachusetts, most of the 62 charter schools operate independently, although a handful, including one in Boston, are part of a local district. The schools, created under the state’s 1993 Education Reform Act, have become a haven for students and parents fleeing bad schools. Several are top MCAS performers and boast graduating classes in which nearly all go to college.


Source : ednews.org

source : www.boston.com