Commentary: Segregation and DPS
Alexander Ooms is senior fellow at the Donnell-Kay Foundation. This entry is cross-posted from the Donnell-Kay blog.
One of the early criticisms leveled against charter schools was that they were “skimming kids” – that the lottery enrollment policy used by charters resulted in the admission of primarily the brightest, most motivated students. This argument has faded (at least in Denver) since charters here serve the same demographics as traditional schools, as well as the undisputed fact that many charters with lottery enrollment have done poorly (it would be a circular argument indeed that the lottery process results in skimming but only by successful charters).
However, the pendulum has now swung to the other side. A new accusation making the rounds is that charter schools – many of whom are focused on low-income neighborhoods – are in fact increasing the economic segregation of our public school system.
It’s an odd argument on its face. The forced segregation of students – whether by class or race – is clearly not the same as a parent’s affirmative choice to send their child to a charter school. But still, the claim has now
One of the early criticisms leveled against charter schools was that they were “skimming kids” – that the lottery enrollment policy used by charters resulted in the admission of primarily the brightest, most motivated students. This argument has faded (at least in Denver) since charters here serve the same demographics as traditional schools, as well as the undisputed fact that many charters with lottery enrollment have done poorly (it would be a circular argument indeed that the lottery process results in skimming but only by successful charters).
However, the pendulum has now swung to the other side. A new accusation making the rounds is that charter schools – many of whom are focused on low-income neighborhoods – are in fact increasing the economic segregation of our public school system.
It’s an odd argument on its face. The forced segregation of students – whether by class or race – is clearly not the same as a parent’s affirmative choice to send their child to a charter school. But still, the claim has now