Statement from CEA President Sheila Cohen on the Annenberg Report
CEA President Sheila Cohen says a new report about charter schools raises fundamental questions about access, equity, and accountability in public education.
The report from the Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University features a comprehensive set of standards that — if adopted by state legislatures — would promote greater transparency and oversight of charter schools and their management companies. The standards also address equal opportunity in an effort to better ensure that charter schools serve all members of their local communities.
“This report is a must read for state legislators and other policymakers, parents, educators, and communities,” says Cohen. “With the rapid growth of charter schools, it’s time to update state charter laws, regulations and oversight. The Annenberg report underscores a range of critical issues—from the flow of funding and cumulative impact of charter schools on traditional school districts to the need for all teachers to be licensed and credentialed.”
CEA applauds the work of the Annenberg Institute and urges Connecticut legislators to consider the report’s legislative recommendations when the legislature convenes in January. Although the Connecticut State Department of Education recently issued a report committing to better enforcing charter management oversight laws already on the books, Annenberg’s legislative recommendations offer innovative solutions that would better ensure quality, accessibility, transparency, and accountability of public dollars.
I am a retired teacher from Orange ,Ct who with my family moved tFlorida this past July. The 1st week here weshe to register our grandson for school. The elementary school in our neighbor is full so there is no room for Anthony. This school is less than half a mile from our home. There is no such thing down here in Lee County as neighbor schools only school of choice. After running around for a week they found room for him in a school that is 10.5 miles away. My grandson is 6 years old. The bus would come before 7 a.m. We thought luckily he got into a charter near us. After filling out the application they gave us the supply sheet of items we had to get. It cost us $182 . Then we had to get their Agenda Book (assignment pad,) when we went to find what time is bus would pick him up in the morning we were told he and 380 students are on a waiting list. So now we drive him to school and we had to get(buy) a placard for the car so we can drive. If you don’t have a placard Anthony can’t be brought to school. Oh yes, the placard cost $10. The Agenda Book was also $10. The wait time to drop him off in the morning is anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour. Afternoon is worst first week it was 1 1/2 hour it is now down to 45 minutes. This week got in line an hour before school got out to get him home earlier. I feel the charter school is nothing but a big business venture. I know when registration opens for the next school year I am going to be one of the first in line. This is a horrible system they have here in Florida. The public school system pay so much for buses because you can go anywhere you what with in the county. I wish I could afford private education!