Essentially, the UCLA study titled Choice Without Equity points out some of the national disparities in the balance of some charter schools and in its subtitle (Charter School Segregation and the need for Civil Rights Standards) calls for reform of the reformers in this important area. The study may be best summed up with the statement, “The charter school movement has been a major political success, but it has been a civil rights failure.” It points to disparities in ethnicity, poverty, and language (English Learner) demographics – all of which are important.
This study, which follows earlier studies of charter segregation, is not to argue the merit or non-merit of charters, but to point out what exists and lays the groundwork for further informed discussion. There is an issue with segregation in charters (though not all -- as it noted), and it should be addressed – otherwise these charter reformers are more than a bit disingenuous.
I would suggest that charters reflect the demographic makeup +/- 10% of student groups within their constituent district. What do you think?
Dear Dr. Miller,
ReplyDeleteI was only recently directed to your blog, but I have appreciated your attention to various issues affecting RUSD and education-at-large.
I am now writing to you as the concerned parent of a child who we had planned to enroll in kindergarten at Hyatt Elementary this fall. We moved into the University Neighborhood four years ago, daydreaming of walking our kids to Hyatt and of hosting play and study sessions at our home as our kids grew older. I just learned with dismay that Hyatt is possibly "on the chopping block" and may soon be closed.
I can certainly understand by the content of your entries here that the success of RUSD as a whole, let alone its survival as a quality institution, is at stake. I would very much appreciate an entry about Hyatt Elementary so that I may understand more as to why its closure is possibly necessary, why the lines could not be redrawn to relieve overcrowding at Highland and to add to Hyatt's local population, what plans are in store for the facility, and what options would be available to families should Hyatt close.
Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Carole Meyer-Rieth