The Lucrative Loophole That Charter Operators Exploit
This article about charter real estate dealings was written by Professors Preston Green III, Bruce Baker, and Derek W. Black.
They argue that lax state laws allow charter operators to reap profits while maintaining an ostensibly “nonprofit” status.
While critics charge that charter schools are siphoning money away from public schools, a more fundamental issue frequently flies under the radar: the questionable business practices that allow people who own and run charter schools to make large profits.
Charter school supporters are reluctant to acknowledge, much less stop, these practices.
Given that charter schools are growing rapidly – from 1 million students in 2006 to more than 3.1 million students attending approximately 7,000 charter schoolsnow – shining a light on these practices can’t come too soon. The first challenge, however, is simply understanding the complex space in which charters operate – somewhere between public and private.
Unregulated competition
Charters were founded on the theory that market forces and competition would benefit public education. But CONTINUE READING: The Lucrative Loophole That Charter Operators Exploit | Diane Ravitch's blog
