DFER's Blog
January 27, 2012
DFER WA Director Responds to Justin Baeder's Article in EdWeek on Charter Schools in WA
Washington State Director of Democrats for Education Reform, Lisa Macfarlane, responds to Justin Baeder's recent article in Education Week, "Charter Rhetoric Heating Up in WA State."
Justin,
What is heating up in Washington State is a desire to do better by our children. It is for that reason why those that have previously opposed charters (including myself) have switched sides to be supportive of this form of public education.
Why is there so much interest now in public charter schools for Washington State?
Because the status quo is keeping our poor and minority kids at an educational disadvantage.
Because it is unconscionable that an African American kid growing up in South Seattle or South King currently has an 11% chance of getting a college degree or career credential. The Georgetown Center on Education and the Workforce predicts that, by 2018, 67% of the jobs in Washington State will require a college degree or a career credential. In the meantime, our region's high paying jobs are going to kids from other states and other countries.
Our achievement gaps are unacceptable and unconscionable. If we stay on our current path, Washington will close its achievement gaps in 105 years, according to the Center on Education Policy. States more committed to education reform, like Louisiana, will close their gaps in 12.5 years.
Charter school advocates are the first to admit that there are both good and bad charter schools, which are serving a higher proportion of minority and low income students than traditional public schools. But let's be honest. The high quality public charter schools, like K.I.P.P., Aspire, YES Prep, and Uncommon Schools are making major headway on helping disadvantaged kids succeed. They have given thousands of low-income and minority kids a fantastic education and, as a result, have changed the trajectory of their lives.
Washington has precious few traditional public schools serving the needs of low-income and minority students. A few good high achieving charters serving the kids in our high poverty communities would give us the proof points we so desperately need. The bill that is before the Washington legislature is very different from the ones voters turned down in the past. It focuses on educationally disadvantaged students and it takes advantage of the lessons learned in other states about the need for a strong authorizing environment.
DFER Colorado Supports the Colorado Asset Bill
By Moira Cullen, DFER Colorado State Director
Senate Bill 12-015, the ASSET Bill, was introduced in the Colorado legislature last week and had its first committee hearing on January 26th, passing out of the Senate Education Committee on a 4-3 party line vote. The bill enables Colorado high school graduates - regardless of their immigration status - to attend the State's colleges and universities at a cost between in-state tuition paid by other residents, and tuition paid by students from outside Colorado.
Immigration is one of the cultural third rails of our time: few politicians regardless of party have come out to defend current immigration policy. Rightly so. Let's all agree that immigration policy is a huge mess and there have been few sincere attempts to try to fix it. But in this burst of honesty, let's also admit that anything that touches the third rail of immigration is an issue where emotion too often clouds judgment. And clear-eyed judgment strongly suggests that this is a bill that should be passed.
To start, let's be clear about what is not in the bill: taxpayer subsidies. Under the ASSET bill, undocumented students will pay both their share and the State's share of taxes. There is zero cost to Colorado's taxpayers. There is an additional cost to the undocumented students - who will pay on average about 40% more than traditional in-state tuition. The cost of college for undocumented students is neither free nor subsidized.
Let's also remember the bill's focus: students already in the U.S., - usually entering no later than 12 or 13 years of age, and often far earlier - who have completed high school and both want and are academically prepared to go to college. They have not dropped out of school; they do not have criminal records. Many were brought to this country by their parents or family members at a very young age and did not make the decision on their own to enter this country illegally. Think what you will, but recognize that the decision to come to the U.S. was made for them, not by them.
Think that their parents are criminals for this choice? Ok then. We can debate the appropriate punishment for parents who have broken the law to give their families a better life. But what we can't really debate is this: for no other crime committed by parents do we punish their children. Adults do some terrible things, and we do not diminish the rights of their children because of this conduct. Children of convicted thieves, perjurers, Wall-Street embezzlers, and serial murderers all get to vote, drive, move freely about the country, and pay in-state tuition.
Continue reading "DFER Colorado Supports the Colorado Asset Bill"....
January 25, 2012
Statement Released by Coalition of NY Education Groups in Support of Gov. Cuomo's Education Performance Grants
STATEMENT IN SUPPORT OF GOVERNOR CUOMO'S EDUCATION PERFORMANCE GRANTS FROM COALITION OF NEW YORK EDUCATION GROUPS
January 24, 2012
Democrats for Education Reform Responds to Alliance for Quality Education's Proposal to Slash Competitive School District Grants
Democrats for Education Reform released the following statement from New York State Director Elizabeth Ling on January 23rd, 2012 in response to a proposal by the Alliance for Quality Education (AQE) that would slash Governor Cuomo's competitive school district grant program by $200 million.
"AQE is proposing that the state put the interests of the education bureaucracy ahead of the needs of our students. Throwing money at the bureaucracy without demanding better results and performance has made New York number one in spending and 38th in results. For the sake of every public school student across the state, that needs to change now.
"A performance-based grant program will push schools to raise the bar and reward high-need districts that demonstrate their ability to help struggling students improve. This is a key part of the reform agenda that New York needs to move our schools forward."
January 19, 2012
Alas--the teasing ends!
Photo by Trey Ratcliff
By Rebeca Nieves Huffman, DFER Illinois State Director
If there were a theme for the last 10 years of my education reform experience, it would be, "teased but not completely pleased." I've been working for amazing, national organizations doing meaningful work in many places across the country - except in my lovely Chi-town. While working in other cities, I watched as Chicago experienced bold, and at times, trailblazing efforts in my own backyard and longed to be a part of the action in my own hometown.
If Tyra Banks hosted "America's Next Top Reformers," the band of reform allies across Illinois would win. She'd ordain the likes of Phyllis Lockett (New Schools for Chicago), Beth Purvis (Chicago International Charter Schools), Juan Rangel (United Neighborhood Organization), Bruce Rauner (Philanthropist), State Senator Kimberly Lightford (D), and Josh Anderson (Teach for America) with the coveted 'f' word...fierce.
For me, the teasing began in 2001 when I was working for the KIPP Foundation. The CEO of Chicago Public Schools, Arne Duncan, and former Mayor of Chicago, Richard Daley, announced the closure of three chronically failing public schools and the creation of new schools, many of which would be charters. I practically did a back flip while watching the news conference out of excitement for the reforms about to take place in my city.
Fast-forward 10 years later and reformers are still aggressively working to put the best interests of kids first--and I'm so thrilled to be joining them in that work as the Illinois State Director for Democrats for Education Reform.
Continue reading "Alas--the teasing ends!"....
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