The Bush Policy Council/AEI game plan for the takeover of charter schools & destruction of public ed

[Hannah Bell]

Contrary to the assertions of the disingenuous, the destruction of public schools has been in the works for a long time, & is a targeted assault, down to which districts to hit, in what order, using which tactics, & that has continued uninterrupted through republican & democratic administrations.

****

This is part of an essay written in early 2008 by AEI/Fordham'sAndy Smarick (who's just been appointed to help privatize NJ schools), a former Bush II Domestic Policy Council member tasked with K-12 and higher education issues:


Here, in short, is one roadmap for chartering's way forward: First, commit to drastically increasing the charter market share in a few select communities until it is the dominant system and the district is reduced to asecondary provider. The target should be 75 percent.

Second, choose the target communities wisely. Each should begin with a solid charter base (at least 5 percent market share), a policy environment that will enable growth (fair funding, nondistrict authorizers, and no legislated caps), and a favorable political environment (friendly elected officials and editorial boards, a positive experience with charters to date, and unorganized opposition). For example, in New York a concerted effort could be made to site in Albany or Buffalo a large percentage of the 100 new charters allowed under the raised cap. Other potentially fertile districts include Denver,Detroit,Kansas City, Milwaukee, Minneapolis,New Orleans, Oakland, and Washington, D.C.

Third, secure proven operators to open new schools. To the greatest extent possible, growth should be driven by replicating successful local charters and recruiting high-performing operators from other areas....

As chartering increases its market share in a city, the district will come under growing financial pressure. The district, despite educating fewer and fewer students, will still require a large administrative staff to process payroll and benefits, administer federal programs, and oversee special education. With a lopsided adult-to-student ratio, the district's per-pupil costs will skyrocket...

http://www.schoolsmatter.info/2010/06/smarick-eager-to-accept-public-position.html


Check the list of districts he lays out & what's already been accomplished.

[Starry Messenger]

1. I read the Andy Smarick essay a couple of weeks ago

I found it when I was doing my Milton Friedman thread and posted some excerpts http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x8471844#8472970">in there. I am absolutely chilled to the marrow by its cruel sociopathic mindless blueprint for destruction of the public school system. It's probably the worst document I've ever read. I read it here:

http://educationnext.org/wave-of-the-future/

It reads more like battle plans for an assault. I am so sickened.

Andy Smarick is a member of "Democrats For Education Reform"


http://educationnext.org/race-to-the-top-forecast/


I have absolutely no doubt in my mind that this article is what the Ed Dept. is planning for the American public school system.

[Hannah Bell]

2. sickened, yes, that's the word.

[proud2BlibKansan]

3. I just got an email from a friend who heard New York is closing 19 schools

based on performance.

No time to get more info now. I'll look into this later today.

But I sure wouldn't be surprised.

[Hannah Bell]

4. NYC's been not assigning freshman students to some HS's in order to shut them down.

They tried to earlier but a judge ruled against them. so they just "discouraged" enrollment with a propaganda release to parents.

side effect was overcrowding in other schools.

those s.ob.s are relentless.