Jeffus and Charter Schools

Maggie Jeffus represents part of Guilford County in the state legislature.  She also happens to represent the teachers' unions in Raleigh.  And she opposes more charter schools in North Carolina.

She is quoted this morning in the N&R regarding charter schools:

"I don't, at this point in time, support raising the cap on the number of charter schools," said Rep. Maggie Jeffus , a Guilford County Democrat and former teacher who is involved in education policy in the General Assembly. She said some charters she had visited had excellent programs, but others struggled to keep pace with expectations in academics and management.

It seems to me that some regular public schools also have struggled to keep pace with expectations in academics and management.  Does this mean they should no longer be funded or permitted to operate by the state?

Comments

[greensboro transplant]

the liberal model is that competition is a bad thing. competition in education is a very bad thing.

as to your question, the reason that some public schools fail is obvious. they simply don't receive enough funding and teachers aren't paid enough.

wonder if she's heard of KIPP? I heard the author of a
book about Kipp interviewed on hugh hewitt's radio show.

there are programs that work.

[greensboro transplant]

i thought it would accept the links: if you're interested KIPP's website is

http://www.kipp.org/.

Hugh Hewitt's entry about it is at:

http://townhall.com/columnists/HughHewitt/2009/01/30/work_hard_be_nice_jay_mathews_crucial_new_book_on_inner_city_public_schools

There are links to the podcast and the book on the page.

[Joe Guarino]

transplant, thanks for your comments and for providing those links. You are right-- there ARE programs that work. One example is right here in Greensboro on Battleground Avenue-- Greensboro Academy, a charter school which is part of another national concern.

Jeffus is part of the mindset you seem to be parodying-- that the only answer is to increase funding within the existing system. But competition, and raising standards and expectations, and affording real choices, are all very important.