Virtual Charter Schools

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by Anthony Pina, Dec 9, 2002.

Loading...
  1. Anthony Pina

    Anthony Pina Active Member

    I'm not Tom Head (although I have the book that he authored with the Bears); however, I do have some experience with both distance learning and charter schools (and home schooling and traditional schooling)...

    The link to this article is http://www.usnews.com/usnews/issue/021209/misc/9charter.htm

    In California, where we suffer from a terrible bureaucracy-based education system, a dreadful Superintendent of Public Instruction and a train-wreck of a Governor, charter schools can provide a very viable choice to parents and students whose needs are not met by local district schools. However, charter schools are vehemently opposed by teachers unions and career educrats (seemingly, one of the only areas of agreement between teachers and administrators).

    Obviously, since charter schools are new public schools that are designed to compete with existing public schools, the existing ones are not pleased that someone is nosing in on their monopoly. Also, since charter schools are supposed to operate outside of the bloated education system, those whose careers are dependent upon creating new regulations, layers of management and paperwork to divert funds away from classrooms and student and into their pockets, they want charters to go away as well. How do you accomplish that? By keeping charter schools from receiving their funding. This tactic is working quite effectively in our state and, apparently in others as well.

    As for online charters. Well, K-12 distance education certainly is not new. The online charters of which I am acquainted seem to be doing a good job of educating thier students and have a high satisfaction rating. As stated in the article, "Critics of E-learning often question program quality." This is true at the college level, as well as hgh school. However, none of these critics seem to be able to come up with any research findings to support their "questioning".

    If the online charter schools meet certain students' needs better than their neighborhood schools, then God bless them.

    Tony Pina
    School of Education
    California State University, San Bernardino




    Charter schools are being starved out of existence
     

Share This Page