Virtual Cronies
Darcie Cimarusti, in a stellar bit of reporting, breaks down the cronyism behind the approval of two "blended learning" charter schools that rely heavily on online learning for their education model. Despite the reports fromPennsylvania, Ohio and the rest of the nation about corruption, exorbitant prices, and poor results from cyber charters, New Jersey seems determined to plow ahead.
Why is that? Why don't we put the brakes on these questionable schools, as NJ Assemblyman Patrick Diegnansuggests? Why not take the time to study the evidence before ramming these schools through at a cost of millions to taxpayers and local school districts?
Here's a clue:
The three of the four virtual charters up for currently up for approval have two things in common: they are going to