By Thomas Ultican / Tultican
Masquerading as a serious education research paper, “Making it Count: The Productivity of Public Charter Schools in Seven U.S. Cities” is little more than a flawed propaganda screed. The authors from the University of Arkansas College of Education and Health Professions claim the superiority of “public charter” schools over traditional public schools (TPS) by employing thoroughly discredited methods. They repeat the same data manipulation malfeasance that has been debunked multiple times over the past decade.
The paper was produced by the School Choice Demonstration Project which resides within the Department of Education Reform. That department was established by the University of Arkansas’s College of Education and Health Professions in 2005. Arizona State Professor Eugene Glass commented that the department is, “one of the strangest I have ever seen.” Glass reports that the Department of Education Reform was made possible by a $10 million dollar gift from the Walton Family Foundation plus another $10 million from the University of Arkansas’s matching gift program.
Subsequent to the big 2005 grant, Walton Family Foundation tax records (EIN: 13-3441466) reveal more than $30 million in grants to the University of Arkansas Foundation and school administration.
Inappropriate Numerators and Specious Denominators
The people at the School Choice Demonstration Project insist on using “public charter school” and “traditional public schools” to differentiate between charter schools and public schools. Charter schools are private companies that have a government license to provide schooling. Public schools are controlled by elected public representatives and must accept all students. Charter schools are not required to meet all public school rules of operation. Referring to charter schools as “public charter schools” and public schools as “traditional public schools” reveals a strong bias.
The authors attempt to compare testing results per $1,000 dollar funding between charter and public schools. They use manipulated National Assessment of Education Performance (NAEP) data. Another Walton Family creation, the Center for Research on Education Outcomes (CREDO) at Stanford University, used a “virtual twin” scheme to create the comparison data employed.
For the balance of this article, please go here.
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Today, Voice of San Diego takes in about $2 million a year, with more than 3,000 members and donors, 22 foundations and numerous corporate sponsors.
Major donors listed on the Voice of San Diego website include Buzz Woolley, a major, major proponent of charter schools, at the $100,000 level, and Joan and Irwin Jacobs at the $50,000 to $100,000 level. About 30 more donations in the $5,000 to $50,000 range are also listed.
Another reason to absolutely detest Ronald Reagan…
The Charter School Juggernaut
https://www.counterpunch.org/2021/08/04/the-charter-school-juggernaut/
The full-court press* against public education began in earnest during the Reagan administration. The publication of A Nation At Risk (1983) was like the Boston Massacre of public schooling in the US. There was less blood loss in the march toward privatizing public schools in the US than during the American Revolution, but the intent to destroy yet another public function and institution of government was there. article continues at link…
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