The Charter School Performance Promise

In 1999, Jeffco voters approved the “Performance Promise,” which gave Jeffco schools more tax funding if student achievement improved. It did improve and the school district’s budget received additional funding.

I propose its time for a Charter School Performance Promise. At the Thursday, April 3, Board of Education meeting, Charter School supporters are planning a mass appearance before the Board of Education to demand more money. They have written some really bad Talking Points, which are filled with misinformation, and they are going to plead their case for more cash IN EXCHANGE FOR NOTHING!

Charter Schools don’t have to meet the same requirements as neighborhood schools, they apparently don’t have to be as accountable for student achievement, financial management, teacher licensing, classroom hours and attendance, teacher training. They can have their own board of education. Charters have a poor record of even trying to meet the needs of special education students and they don’t generally serve minorities and ESL students well. They are uniting against having to teach the Common Core curriculum.

I say it is time for Charter Schools to make a Performance Promise. I am generally for Charter Schools because I know students deserve educational choices, but I think charter schools get by too easily. Another issue is school financing, the school district doesn’t have a strong budget (thank you Witt, Newkirk and Williams for working against increased funding for our schools! Remember Amend. 66?), so this is not the time for Charters to be asking that money be taken from other schools, or from teacher salaries, to support them. Neighborhood school parents don’t want their children to lose their music class or have their child’s teacher be poorly paid so that Charter Schools can get more money to operate with little fiscal responsibility or accountability.

Charters, if you want more money, go to the voters and make a promise that in exchange for improved academic performance and improved fiscal responsibility and teaching an approved curriculum you will get increased funding… The Charter School Performance Promise.

By the way, where were charter school parents when we were working hard to get 3A and 3B passed?