Tom Watkins’ Post

There is no alignment or accountability in education policy and it is hard to see how shifting a few chairs on the educational Titanic, called Michigan public education system is going to change this reality. If you have a hole in your roof, pretending to fix it, does not keep the rain out. Real change is needed in the governance of Michigan’s system of public education. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer launches new education office, seeking more college grads in Michigan. This may be a start, it certainly should not be an end as it does little if anything to address the dysfunction of alignment or accountability in education policy and direction in Michigan. https://lnkd.in/gqvgdQFa

OPINION by Jeff Rice: State education policies should be changed to allow public charter schools with flex-based hybrid programs that operate facilities for instruction to qualify for funding for facilities and after-school programs. Policies should also be changed to allow more students at traditional schools to take part in flexible independent study programs so that they too can benefit from a more tailored and adaptable education program.

CHARTER SCHOOLS: A charter school is a school that receives government funding but operates independently of the established state school system in which it is located. It is independent in the sense that it operates according to the basic principle of autonomy for accountability, that it is freed from the rules but accountable for results. Who attends charter schools? The percentage of public school students who attended public charter schools increased by an overall 1.7 million students between 2009 and 2018. They serve a higher percentage of students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, and there are more of them in urban areas than rural ones. Many families can choose to send their child to a charter school instead of their district’s public schools. However, some charter schools are so popular that they have caps on enrollment. In these cases, schools usually hold a lottery to select students to fill open seats, and some have application processes. Charter School Pros and Cons: It’s very hard to generalize pros and cons, since each school is so different. Pros: -Smaller class sizes (usually). -Greater flexibility in curriculum and teaching style. -Stronger ability and willingness to accommodate various learning styles. -Focus on subjects that matter to students enrolled. -Less concern about state standards and requirements. -Some studies indicate minority students have more success at charter schools than public schools. Cons: -Since not always required to follow state standards, some charters have lower academic achievement in certain subjects. -May offer fewer sports, clubs, and other extra-curriculars. -Depending on the location, may not offer free transportation to and from school. -If the school is under-performing or the organization running it struggles, it may be shut down, even in the middle of the year. -The requirements for opening a charter school vary from state to state, leading to inconsistencies in quality. #talentserve

New Bedford’s Whaling City has just graduated a historically large cohort, larger than two dozen charter schools in Massachusetts. As with any success in education, there are quick judgements made as to reasons. Much relies on staff and student culture overhauled by Principal John Tweedie, M. Ed., CAGS. As John said at June’s graduation "no one will outwork us." When you look at two decades of graduation data in all of Massachusetts alternative high schools and small MA charter high schools, Whaling is clearly seeing a sustained higher rate than the former and higher number of seniors served and graduated than the latter. Charter and alternative school models were created to serve students not seeing the benefits of large comprehensive high schools. However, such models have not seen success at scale over the same period. Why? NCLB proposed that “dropout factories” were the cause, then the RTTT movement rushed to label schools as “underperforming.” This week, the Boston Globe highlighted majority-minority schools as “substandard.” In truth, Massachusetts school reform has relied heavily on a selective, screened and segregated choice model that ultimately chooses or rejects students. Students are cast aside and lost. Unseen and uncounted, a 2024 Boston College report noted that choice schools don’t even count homeless students. There are far better ways to serve young people than labels and sorting. As the article reveals, we fare better with a pathways model that students can choose, integrated and supported by strong traditional districts who serve all kids. Since its founding as the first truly popular, free and desegregated school system in MA, this is what New Bedford Schools has done. This is where Whaling City stands out.

#UnapologeticLeadershipThoughts There isn’t much that we all agree upon in #higher education, with the exception of one thing: higher education costs too much. I’ve been considering the rising cost of education and the slide in public confidence in our institutions, thinking about how we at Compton College and nationally can address these concerns for our students, particularly Black students. Every day, low-income and Black students across our nation’s college campuses face tough decisions that no student should have to make. Many of our students are trying to address several questions as they consider enrolling at a post-secondary institution, which may include some of the following: Do I really need to purchase that book for that class? What are my childcare options? Should I purchase a parking permit this semester? Do I need to purchase a public transportation pass? How can I guarantee food for my family?  Can I work on campus or off campus? How many classes should I take online vs. in-person? Do I really need to meet with a counselor? I see this list of questions (which you and I both know, are not exhaustive), and it brings just two to my mind: 1) When did it become so hard for people to access a higher education? And 2) What are we going to do to fix this? Read the rest here: https://lnkd.in/gZVFub2C

In 2021, in response to the long-standing high rates of college student basic needs insecurity that were exacerbated by the pandemic, College Futures Foundation funded 5 community-based organizations (CBOs) – Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orange County and the Inland Empire, Rise Student Navigator Network, OneFuture Coachella Valley, Braven, and United Way Bay Area – partnering with California higher education institutions to provide holistic student supports. College Futures then engaged Education Northwest, an education research and evaluation firm, in a learning project to examine the capacities, conditions, and strategies necessary to form successful partnerships between CBOs and higher education institutions. Drawing on interviews with CBO grantees, institutional partners, and student participants, Education Northwest established a framework to organize and offer perspectives on ways to develop CBO-institutional partnerships. The framework delineates the conditions for and impacts of effective student support partnerships with CBOs, offering strategies for partnership initiation and sustainability. Recommendations are also provided to help higher education institutions, advocates and policymakers, and funders better understand their respective roles in bolstering successful CBO-institutional partnerships. “Through our direct partnerships with CBOs – and as evident in this research – we learned the next-level impact CBO-institutional partnerships can have on supporting learners, shifting mindsets, and influencing policy,” says Elizabeth González, chief program and strategy officer at College Futures. “The value of effective cross-sector partnerships is clear and the strategies for partnership development gleaned through this learning engagement will continue to inform our work to advance learner-centered innovations, align postsecondary education for economic mobility, and reimagine education for the future of work.” Read the full study at https://buff.ly/3TO8efw.

Rhode Island Department of Education is implementing sweeping changes for high school graduation requirements that leaders anticipate will open avenues of opportunity for thousands of students each year, creating college- and career-ready high school graduates equipped with real-world skills and ready to take on the rigors of academia or transition into high-demand professions. Rhode Island Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education Angélica Infante-Green said she’d been leading the state’s schools for a little over a year in 2019 when she first came to face-to-face with the reality that Rhode Island wasn’t preparing students for their futures, shortchanging not only the students but potentially crippling the state’s future workforce. A deeper audit in 2020 revealed just how prevalent and pervasive the challenges were. After analyzing thousands of transcripts and surveying students and parents, Rhode Island Department of Education leaders learned that what students wanted and what their high schools provided them didn’t line up. Even more alarming, schools weren't providing the basic requirements to prepare students to thrive in college. When that information was presented to the Rhode Island Council on Elementary and Secondary Education and the state’s education commissioner, they gave an immediate green light to create a new division in the state’s education department with the sole focus of reimagining high school. To achieve this, they recognized they needed data beyond test scores and graduation rates. Policy makers needed to understand what aspirations students hold for themselves, what barriers keep them from reaching those aspirations, what motivates and inspires them, and what skills they need to be successful in college or in the job market. Their marching orders from the top were simple: “We go big.” Here’s what they did. https://lnkd.in/dBb8HJ4F

Charter schools In the landscape of education reform, charter schools have emerged as a dynamic and often controversial component. These publicly funded institutions operate with increased autonomy, allowing for experimentation with alternative approaches to teaching and learning. As we delve into the realm of charter schools, let’s explore their unique characteristics, benefits, challenges, and their potential to drive educational innovation. One of the primary advantages of charter schools is their ability to foster educational innovation. Freed from many of the bureaucratic constraints faced by traditional public schools, charter schools can implement creative teaching methods, personalized learning approaches, and specialized curricula tailored to the needs of their students. This flexibility enables them to cater to diverse learning styles, address specific community needs, and pilot new educational models that may later be scaled or replicated elsewhere.Additionally, charter schools often serve as incubators for educational best practices. Through collaboration with educators, parents, and community stakeholders, charter schools can develop innovative solutions to common challenges in education, such as closing the achievement gap, increasing graduation rates, and promoting college and career readiness. Despite the challenges and controversies surrounding charter schools, there is no denying their potential to drive educational innovation and empower students, families, and communities. By fostering a culture of experimentation, collaboration, and accountability, charter schools can serve as catalysts for positive change in the education system. However, to fully realize their potential, charter schools must prioritize equity, transparency, and student success, while addressing concerns related to accountability, governance, and resource allocation.Ultimately, charter schools are not a panacea for all the challenges facing education, nor are they without flaws. However, they represent an important component of the educational landscape, offering opportunities for innovation, choice, and diversity in schooling. By harnessing the strengths of charter schools and addressing their shortcomings, we can work towards a more equitable, inclusive, and effective education system that serves the needs of all students, regardless of background or circumstance. #charterschool #talentserve

With the recent changes coming with the transformation of the former Ohio Department of Education, my latest opinion piece discusses opportunities for a bold new vision for education in Ohio. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gUQFvCuz #education #educationalleadership

Title: charter schools #task #talentserve Education Post: They often feature opinion pieces and news related to charter schools and education reform. The 74: This blog covers a wide range of education topics, including charter schools, with a focus on news and analysis. National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (NAPCS) Blog: Run by the NAPCS, this blog provides insights, updates, and perspectives on charter school policy and advocacy. Charter School Capital Blog: Offers articles and resources on charter school funding, operations, and management. EdChoice Blog: They cover various education choice topics, including charter schools, with analysis and research-driven articles. These blogs should provide you with a good starting point for exploring topics related to charter schools. Fordham Institute’s Flypaper: The blog covers a range of education topics, including charter schools, with a mix of opinion pieces, analysis, and news updates. The Charter Blog: This blog is run by the Center for Education Reform (CER) and offers insights, news, and commentary on charter schools and education reform efforts. The Thomas B. Fordham Institute's Education Gadfly: While not solely focused on charter schools, this blog often features articles and analysis related to charter school policy and innovation. The Center for Reinventing Public Education (CRPE) Blog: CRPE's blog covers various aspects of education reform, including charter schools, with a focus on research and policy analysis. Public Impact’s Opportunity Culture Blog: Public Impact explores innovative staffing models, including those used in charter schools, and shares insights and resources for educators and policymakers. These additional blogs should provide you with even more perspectives and resources on charter schools and related education topics.