Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Blue Jersey:: NJ Doesn't Need Virtual Charter Schools

Blue Jersey:: NJ Doesn't Need Virtual Charter Schools:


NJ Doesn't Need Virtual Charter Schools

Today's Star Ledger features an opinion piece titled "State Has Virtually No Reason to not Give Virtual Charter Schools a Shot."But that's inaccurate. There are lots of reasons for us to avoid so-called virtual charter schools. In the case of what's being proposed for NJ:
 A virtual charter school would drain resources from neighborhood schools across the state, with 90% of per-pupil funds winding up in the hands of for-profit charter operator K12 - even though their per-pupil costs are lower than those of the real schools.
• K12 is the for-profit charter school management company set to manage NJ's first virtual charter. They have operated in other (lower-achieving) states, but have cultivated a checkered past that, in addition to not delivering outcomes for students and parents, includes numerous transgressions including fiscal mismanagement, theft, and insider trading!
• Virtual charters are NOT LEGAL in New Jersey. Acting Commissioner Cerf would like to change that, of