Improving Education Is Truly A Bipartisan Issue
Between now and November, hundreds of millions of dollars in advertising will be spent telling us all the differences between President Barack Obama and his Republican challenger Mitt Romney.
They will disagree on nearly every issue, but one area where they have found common ground is the need for more public charter schools. We feel the same way in the Georgia House of Representatives.
While there are many issues that our constituents expect us to draw a hard line in the sand and oppose much of what the opposition party supports, education reform is frankly too important to let our differences in political parties get in the way.
As the Republican Speaker Pro Tem and a leading Democratic voice on education, we are together asking voters to support the charter school amendment on the November ballot. The amendment does something very simple but very profound – it will allow the state to create a commission to hear appeals when charter applications are denied by some school boards and superintendents.
Some school systems in Georgia have embraced the charter concept, while others have been more obstinate. Many are unfortunately worried more about who has the authority and power in education decision-making rather than what is best for our kids.
True local control should begin with giving parents the option to make more decisions and to get more involved in their children’s education. Charter schools are public schools that are free from many of the onerous mandates that schools are under these days.
They may separate boys and girls into different classes or schools, or have a more specific curriculum focus on science or math. They may be a virtual school with no building. These types of options are not right for every student, but for some they offer the kind of opportunity that can literally be life-changing.
Some school systems are going to tell you that public charter schools take money away from other public schools, but that’s just simply not the case. Any school approved by the state charter commission will operate with no local contribution – only state funds will be available. Those local dollars are kept by the school systems and used as they see fit, actually increasing the amount of money per student enrolled they have to spend.
We’ve tried the “one size fits all” approach to education for decades, and we’ve had too many students fall through the cracks. Let’s increase the educational options for parents, students and teachers by voting “Yes” for public charters on Nov. 6.
Awesome Alpharetta
2:25 pm on Friday, September 21, 2012
'The amendment does something very simple but very profound – it will allow the state to create a commission to hear appeals when charter applications are denied by some school boards and superintendents.' - Georgia residents have this already…Fulton Science Academy Middle School was denied a 10 year charter by FCBOE in Dec, 2011 and appealed to the state. State BOE reviewed and denied the application in May, 2012.
http://pba.org/post/state-board-education-turns-down-fulton-science-academy-middle-school-petition
Elizabeth Hooper
11:14 am on Saturday, September 22, 2012
Here's a thought - why doesn't the legislature work to REMOVE the "onerous mandates" they place on traditional public schools rather than create a separate system of state charter schools unaccountable to the taxpayer?
R++ - One of the famous "Dacula Crew"
12:02 am on Wednesday, September 26, 2012
"Some school systems are going to tell you that public charter schools take money away from other public schools, but that’s just simply not the case. Any school approved by the state charter commission will operate with no local contribution – only state funds will be available."
OK ... if this is really true, where are the "state funds" that will be used specifically for this program going to come from? Please name the specific state revenue generator or publish the budget line items to be cut. FIRST before the vote.
Image if this process had occurred before the Go Fish! center was built?
Would it be standing today?
Will a new fee like the Driver-Ed, tire clean up or trauma center be created, even though there is NO correlation between state revenue collections vs actual spending on the titled program, with large amounts actually going to the general fund just like current fuel taxes?
No this amendment text and the sister bills just waiting for the amendment to pass are NOT the best way to go to expand charter schools in the state.
Throw it back in the oven, because installing financial controls AFTER it passes is simply unacceptable. When the Gold Dome folks straighten out the mess they currently have on hand - then we can discuss EXPANDING their appointment powers.
Remember ethics concerns are for Democrats and fools...
MP
4:46 pm on Wednesday, September 26, 2012
@ R - HB 797 clearly defines where the funds do NOT come from (the K-12 education budget). Here's what the statute says: "No deduction shall be made to any state funding which a local school system is otherwise authorized to receive…” (line 317-318).
What this means is that the funds (which account for less than 5 ten thousandths of a percent of the whole state budget) come from the 52% of the budget that is NOT K-12 education dollars.
You can actually go to the Office of Planning and Budget and see for yourself what additions and cuts to the entire state budget are being made. It's a lengthy document, but it may help you see where money flows. Here a link for your convenience: http://opb.georgia.gov/budget-information.
Please read HB 797 for yourself to better understand the Commission's role and level of authority. The information being published widely by districts and their coalition is largely unfactual. http://www1.legis.ga.gov/legis/2011_12/pdf/hb797.pdf).
Steve Youngblood
4:02 pm on Wednesday, September 26, 2012
All this fanatical, democrat, liberal emotion to protect the local gravy train bureaucracy. During the 2 years of the Charter Commission, 56 schools applied (turned down at the local level), 16 were approved. 14 were opened. During that time ONLY 4 charter schools were approved by ALL of the districts in Georgia. THIS IS WHY WE NEED THE STATE TO HELP THE CITIZENS OF GEORGIA AND ITS CHILDREN. The year before the commission, ZERO were approved by the districts. None, zero, nada, nichts. We're losing the game, but, our "coaches" say, "in 10 years, we'll be pretty good". You're Fired!
We need to break the corrupt local authorities who continue to fail and waste our money. Sure, you guys may be in on the game or your buddies are. But, it's time to throw the post democrat liberal elite out and streamline. Let parents help get the money to the kids in our state.
Steve Youngblood
4:04 pm on Wednesday, September 26, 2012
More information for conservative and concerned citizens:
Frequently Asked Questions
http://georgiahope2012.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/FAQ.pdf
Fact vs. Fiction:
http://georgiahope2012.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/FactVSFiction.pdf
Information:
http://georgiahope2012.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Information-Sheet.pdf
MP
4:40 pm on Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Elizabeth - these "onerous mandates" have been able to be waived by districts for years - the State Board of Education approves waivers nearly every month (please check the SBOE board minutes yourself). Moreover, districts have had the opportunity to waive requirements using conversion schools. That has generally been useless, as the conversion schools have never been given any level of autonomy or true freedom to innovate - they are under the thumb of the districts. The districts have often lapped up the Charter School Program federal funds, run a charter in name only school, and then reverted back to status quo at the end of the charter term.
The TRUTH, Ms. Hooper, is that the districts create a great deal of their own bureaucracy in central office and drive that down to the classrooms. It is burdensome to teachers and school level administrators and adds nothing to instruction. It is very tiresome to hear the excuses by districts of "onerous mandates" and "funding cuts" when they don't manage themselves or their funds efficiently. Thank goodness for charter schools - they are proving it CAN be done if the will exists!