40 Years of A Nation at Risk

This is what started it all…  The conservative myth that American schools were failing and that we needed to apply business principles to save them.  And thus the efforts to privatize American schools and pillage education’s public purse for private gain accelerated!  So check it out…

#BustEDPencils Pod.
A Nation at Risk: Will the Truth finally set US free?
https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-9v5rp-147f173
What really happened 40 years ago? Guest James Harvey takes us back to that moment when America was duped into believing that American public schools were failing. 

—

Timothy D. Slekar PhD
412-735-9720
timslekar@gmail.com
http://bustedpencils.com/
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/busted-pencils/id1060237752?mt=2

AERA 2023 – Virtual School Principals: Perspectives and Possibilities

The seventh of the sessions from the 2023 annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association that I identified as relevant to this space that I have the opportunity to blog is:

• Virtual School Principals: Perspectives and Possibilities – Mary Lynne Derrington, The University of Tennessee; Jeana Partin, The University of Tennessee – Knoxville

  Abstract

  This mixed-methods study explored how virtual school principals described leadership challenges and rewards working in the virtual context. Additionally, the researchers examined how principals in a virtual environment provided teacher professional development and created a social presence with teachers, students, and parents. Findings indicate that a virtual school is more than merely a traditional school online. Principals exhibit an intrapreneurial approach to developing and sustaining virtual schools. The researchers purport that innovative leadership is a key component of supporting virtual schools in assuming a unique position among the choice options. It is imperative, they conclude to understand the virtual school as a choice option serving some students more effectively than the traditional brick and mortar schools.

  Authors

  • Mary Lynne Derrington, The University of Tennessee
    Presenting Author
  • Jeana Partin, The University of Tennessee – Knoxville
    Presenting Author

Which was in this session:

Student and School Personnel Outcomes in Schools of Choice

Fri, April 14, 11:40am to 1:10pm CDT (9:40 to 11:10am PDT), Swissôtel Chicago, Floor: Lucerne Level, Lucerne 2 Session Type: Paper Session

Sub Unit

• SIG-Charters & School Choice

Chair

• David T. Marshall, Auburn University

These presenters apparently did not show up due to a conflict with some grant.  With a bit of Googling, I think the session might have been focused on this chapter:

Partin, J., & Derrington, M. L. (2023). Supervising in a virtual school context. In A. L. Lavigne & M. L. Derrington (Eds.), Actionable Feedback to PK-12 Teachers (pp. 177-190). Rowman & Littlefield

AERA 2023 – Do Virtual Charter Schools Deliver for Some but Not Others? An Analysis of Academic Outcomes

The sixth of the sessions from the 2023 annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association that I identified as relevant to this space that I have the opportunity to blog is:

• Do Virtual Charter Schools Deliver for Some but Not Others? An Analysis of Academic Outcomes – Daniel Hamlin, University of Oklahoma; Curt M. Adams, University of Oklahoma; Olajumoke Beulah Adigun, Oklahoma State University

  Abstract

  Enrollments in virtual schools have surged nationally. Some policymakers have supported virtual schools because of their ability to extend educational options to families in rural areas where school choice is limited. In this study, we analyze data from Oklahoma (2017-2019) to compare the academic performance of virtual charter and brick-and-mortar public school students. We also examine outcomes for students who switched into a virtual charter school from a rural brick-and-mortar public school. Results indicate relatively large negative associations with achievement for students who attend virtual charter schools as well as for virtual charter school students from rural areas. Negative associations were mostly consistent for students across different models for students in grades 3 to 8 and in high school.

  Authors

  • Daniel Hamlin, University of Oklahoma
    Presenting Author
  • Curt M. Adams, University of Oklahoma
    Non-Presenting Author
  • Olajumoke Beulah Adigun, Oklahoma State University
    Non-Presenting Author

Which was in this session:

Student and School Personnel Outcomes in Schools of Choice

Fri, April 14, 11:40am to 1:10pm CDT (9:40 to 11:10am PDT), Swissôtel Chicago, Floor: Lucerne Level, Lucerne 2Session Type: Paper Session

Sub Unit

• SIG-Charters & School Choice

Chair

• David T. Marshall, Auburn University

The presenter began with some background on full-time virtual schools, and described it – from a pre-pandemic sense – as a phenomenon.  Suggesting that there was a 47% increase in the number of full-time virtual schools.  Then she outlined all of the the positive reasons why virtual schools are needed and have grown, at least from the perspective of proponents.  However, she also had a slide with all of the neo-liberals reports that have shown that students enrolled in those full-time virtual charter schools performance is negative compared to brick-and-mortar students.

In terms of this particular study…

In terms of the results…

The data was also analyzed by stayers (i.e., those that spend three or more years in a virtual school) and those that switch during the year.

Finally, the data was presented for just high school.

Even though the results were completely negative, the presenter made a point to stress that the findings were not caused by full-time virtual school, and then went into all of the reasons why the results might have been as they were – the typical rationale that is often made for why full-time virtual schools perform so poorly.  Finally, the presenter speculated a series of reasons why full-time virtual schools filled a need – which she continued to do during the Q&A (and I guess one would expect from folks in the charter SIG).  By the end I was unsure if she was simply newer to the field and had a lot of intellectual curiosity about the potential variables or if she was a charter school proponent providing potential excuses.

New Post Published – Charter Schools aren’t Public Schools. Here’s Why We Need to Change That.

This is an interesting post and I encourage you to check it out.  It is focused on the Peltier v. Charter Day School case, and hits the nail on the head when it speaks to how these charter schools – particularly cyber charter schools – market themselves as public schools and certain take advantage of all of the funding opportunities associated with public schools, but when it comes to transparency or anything that might jeopardize their profit stream, they argue that they are private corporations and should not be held to the same transparency requirements of public schools.  An important case indeed!

Hello ,

We have published a new blog article on our website : Charter Schools aren’t Public Schools. Here’s Why We Need to Change That.

You can view it from this link : https://pv4ps.org/charter-schools-arent-public-schools-heres-why-we-need-to-change-that/

Thanks & Regards,
Admin

News Item – GAO: Grant-funded charter schools show greater enrollment growth

This item scrolled across my electronic desk last week.

GAO: Grant-funded charter schools show greater enrollment growth

An analysis found smaller percentages of students with disabilities at all charter schools compared to traditional public schools.

This finding jives with the NEPC work that Gary Miron has been doing related to cyber charter enrollment data – particularly his sections of the Virtual Schools in the US reports and the Profiles of For-Profit and Nonprofit Education Management Organizations reports.