Guest MINDSETTER™ Dan Wall: Regents Drops Ball with Achievement First
Wednesday, February 08, 2012
When Achievement First wins, traditional public schools lose.
Last Wednesday, Achievement First was given preliminary approval to open a Mayoral Academy in Providence. This event marks another step toward privatization. Jonathan Kozol, author, activist, and educational expert, has written of the dangers of privatizing our public schools. Kozol states that the corporate world sees education as “the final frontier of a number of sectors that were once under public control, that now have been forced to open up to private enterprise.” Allowing a private management organization to open a system of schools removes control and accountability from the community, and places it in the hands of businessmen.
Public Ignored
In spite of substantial opposition in Providence, the Rhode Island Board of Regents voted 5 to 4 to approve Achievement First’s application. The majority of the Providence City Council, numerous members of the Rhode Island General Assembly, as well as several parent-teacher organizations, and community groups, voiced concerns and questions regarding the viability of the proposal. Some people claim that the vote to approve the charter school is a victory for school choice. However, it is also a vote which ignores the voices and concerns of the citizens and elected officials of Providence, Cranston, Warwick and North Providence.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTIronically, Achievement First’s interest in our state coincides with the passage of Rhode Island’s “Fair Funding Act.” The law requires funding dollars to follow students as they enroll in charter schools. Conn-CAN, Achievement First’s lobbying organization, is currently pressuring Connecticut lawmakers to pass similar legislation in their state. Achievement First has widely publicized the fact that they are a non-profit organization. However, this classification means that although they make a great deal money, they show no profit at the conclusion of the fiscal year. Last year, the organization made 4.1 million dollars in “management fees.” That figure is projected to increase significantly with the expansion of their operations to Rhode Island.
Importance of traditional Public Schools
I am a firm believer in traditional public schools. However, I realize that many public schools are in need of improvement. However, I believe that improvements should be made by working within the existing system. Schools should be controlled by the public and their elected officials. Schools should be accountable to the voters and the tax payers. Furthermore, significant policies should be determined by community representatives. Achievement First has already developed a model for their charter schools. Their intention is to replicate or franchise that model in cities throughout the nation. Allowing a Mayor to sit on an advisory board may be a nice gesture, but it isn’t the same as having public control or public accountability.
As Achievement First enters Rhode Island, they enter with the promise of great things. Yet, Achievement First must realize that their victory is difficult for many members of affected communities to accept. Tax payers face potential increases, while their funding dollars are given to an out-of-state charter management company. Ironically, neighborhood schools close due financial hardship, while new mayoral academies prepare to open. However, it’s even more difficult to accept a nationally driven reform agenda that tends to over-emphasize the potential benefits of privatization, while ignoring the harmful side effects.
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