tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6534665086749553287.post9120845323040574366..comments2024-03-28T11:57:21.902-04:00Comments on CURMUDGUCATION: MA: The Charteristas Behind the Curtain Get SpankedPeter Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511193640285760299noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6534665086749553287.post-73760944671136367972017-09-14T17:30:21.607-04:002017-09-14T17:30:21.607-04:00Failing to see any answer, perhaps first it'd ...Failing to see any answer, perhaps first it'd be helpful to acknowledge the strawman:<br /><br />"if all you care about are test scores, and you're cool with charters that keep their test scores high"<br /><br />In actuality, rather than raw test scores, far more of the celebration of success of Boston charter schools is focused on measures of their students' academic growth carefully compared to matched peers attending local district schools.<br /><br />I'm aware of no body of evidence that suggests that such relative growth is lessened in respect to ELL and students with special needs. If anything the available research suggests the opposite.<br /><br />According to the CREDO analysis of the impacts of charter management organizations, the Brooke charter schools in Boston showed the greatest positive impact on student academic growth. Greene somehow has formed that opinion that Brooke is a poster child for "chasing out those who don't get great scores." He doesn't show any persuasive evidence and appears to ignore much data to the contrary.<br /><br />The CREDO research is based on results ending in 2014-2015. <br /><br />If we look at what the state department of education tells about the attrition rates for the Brooke schools for that school year we find:<br />Brooke Mattapan <br />summer attrition: 4.2%<br />school year stability rate: 94.9%<br /><br />Brooke Roslindale<br />Summer attrition: 3.1%<br />school year stability rate: 96.7<br /><br />Brooke East Boston<br />Summer attrition: 7.4%<br />school year stability rate: 90.1%<br /><br />By contrast, Boston Public Schools had summer attrition rates closer to 14% and school year stability rates around 86.5%.<br /><br />As stated in a July 2015 document seeking permission for Brooke to open a high school:<br />"Despite the oft-repeated charge that charter schools “push students out”, the average attrition rate at the three Brooke schools last year was lower than at any other non-exam school in Boston serving middle grades.<br />[...]<br />"Furthermore, even the small numbers of students who do leave Brooke each year are just as likely to be performing well academically as their peers who persist, as demonstrated in the graphs below."<br /><br />Those graphs can be viewed on pp 32-33 here:<br />http://www.doe.mass.edu/bese/docs/FY2016/2016-02/item3-tabA1-1.pdf<br />Stephenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03647198428780707207noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6534665086749553287.post-363423836470048172017-09-13T14:57:50.544-04:002017-09-13T14:57:50.544-04:00If that were true, perhaps you would be so kind as...If that were true, perhaps you would be so kind as to quote a sentence or more from the answer? Stephenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03647198428780707207noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6534665086749553287.post-58189391507082435292017-09-13T09:34:10.126-04:002017-09-13T09:34:10.126-04:00Asked and answered. Please look through the archi...Asked and answered. Please look through the archives.Diennehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04570040547158789834noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6534665086749553287.post-75185036607661037582017-09-13T01:41:26.212-04:002017-09-13T01:41:26.212-04:00Lots of us in Massachusetts doing a happy dance! B...Lots of us in Massachusetts doing a happy dance! Big hat tip to Prof Maurice Cunningham for digging deep into the dark money pile. <br /><br />For the record, it's Seth Klarman, not Klauman. Got to keep our eyes on these sneaks.<br /><br />Christine LanghofflaMissyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00516322307725011313noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6534665086749553287.post-36769297678989086872017-09-13T01:34:24.167-04:002017-09-13T01:34:24.167-04:00Peter: "These are almost legit arguments sort...Peter: "These are almost legit arguments sort of if you squint and if all you care about are test scores, and you're cool with charters that keep their test scores high by suspending huge numbers of students, carefully avoiding any challenging students (like the non-English speaking ones), and chasing out those who don't get great scores."<br /><br />Peter, that seems to me an inadequately substantiated, and misleading, analysis. Would you be willing to try to focus your attention a little more closely on the most recent available relevant data? If so, I'd be glad to review some of it with you.Stephenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03647198428780707207noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6534665086749553287.post-11339641021415683082017-09-12T21:10:20.442-04:002017-09-12T21:10:20.442-04:00The only reason these investors get into the chart...The only reason these investors get into the charter school "business" is because there is so much money to be made in the privatization of education-like the prison system, healthcare and remember the private contractors working in the Middle East(Blackwater aka Erik Prince) And hey, that's Betsy Devos' brother. A Pandora's Box of private money making profit off public money. Anyone up for a collective vomit?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16319261747710290814noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6534665086749553287.post-4047628895593630502017-09-12T13:55:29.739-04:002017-09-12T13:55:29.739-04:00Yes, excellent point. There is still dark money in...Yes, excellent point. There is still dark money in this mix even after the contributor reveal.Peter Greenehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16511193640285760299noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6534665086749553287.post-31353515589951015262017-09-12T13:31:24.424-04:002017-09-12T13:31:24.424-04:00Two points: in the file of contributors about $3M ...Two points: in the file of contributors about $3M is listed as coming from FES itself, which means it is still dark money.http://www.ocpf.us/Reports/DisplayReport?menuHidden=true&id=624589#schedule-a And though its great FES is barred from contributing to MA campaigns for four years, there are other similar astroturf organizations that will surely take its place. See for example Massachusetts Parents United, also funded by the Waltons and run by the former state head of FES who is also on the advisory committee of DFER MA. More on this here:http://blogs.wgbh.org/masspoliticsprofs/2017/7/12/massachusetts-parents-united-old-wine-new-bottle/ As Cunningham says, old wine poured into an empty bottle. As long as billionaires are intent on privatizing our schools the battle will not end.Leonie Haimsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17317355552298136811noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6534665086749553287.post-24316107943500403262017-09-12T13:05:08.614-04:002017-09-12T13:05:08.614-04:00From one of the embedded links: "Families fo...From one of the embedded links: "Families for Excellent Schools Advocacy illegally funneled millions of dollars to the “Yes on 2” campaign from millionaire donors, including Paul Sagan and other high-ranking officials in the administration of Governor Charlie Baker, who appeared in pro-charter ads."<br /><br />So, wait, not only did Paul Sagan and "other high-ranking officials" in the governor's administration donate to this organization, but they also appeared in the ads? How is it legal for public officials to appear in anti-public propaganda (not to mention funding such propaganda)? So what personal consequence are Mr. Sagan and these other "high ranking officials" facing?Diennehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04570040547158789834noreply@blogger.com