Online Schools A Success!

More children are reaping the benefits from online schools. Online schools offer great alternatives for children looking for classes, needing to learn at their own pace, and open so many doors to the great world of education. When education reform is really needed, this is a step forward for the children!

In last week's St. Louis Post:
Online schools statewide and around the country are growing. One analysis suggests that by the year 2019, about 50 percent of all high school courses will be delivered online.

There are at least four other virtual schools in Missouri and at least five in Illinois. All but a handful of states have online programs, and more than half of public secondary schools offer online courses to students, according to the International Association for K-12 Online Learning.

The schools attract a wide clientele, including students with social and learning disorders, home-school students, or those who simply want to take specialized or advanced classes not offered by their own schools.

Some cater to athletes needing the freedom to train and travel. One school in St. Louis even enrolls students busy with modeling careers.

The movement may be gaining momentum partly because initial skepticism has faded, particularly as online classes have become common at the college level.

Indiana Passes Major School Choice Bill

Earlier this week, the state of Indiana passed a scholarship tax credit program that would grant children to use these funds to attend better suited schools, private or public. Individuals or corporations donate funds and then receive a tax credit on their donation.
Choice programs such as these allow thousands of children to gain access to better schools. Wealthy families can typically afford private schools, but lower income families cannot. Why should the children be forced to attend schools that are not providing them the education they deserve? If, as a society, we expect all children to be properly educated, why can't we give them all the same chance?
A good strong education is one of the most important tools for being successful later in life. Applauds to Indiana for passing this! Many states, including Missouri, have come close but the strong offensive groups have won. Slowly but surely, states are understanding that children and their families deserve this choice. Now...I wait until Missouri gets there.

MNEA to Meet with Charter Schools

According to the St. Louis Post, the Grade, one of the largest teachers union in Missouri is planning to meet with the Missouri Charter school leaders to see what they have to say.

The MNEA asked to meet with the state department’s director of charter schools, Jocelyn Strand, and with the director of the Missouri Charter Public School Association, Aaron North.

“We really felt it was important for us to hear what their beliefs are, and what exactly they’re advocating,” Guinther said.

Is this an extension of an olive branch? Guess we will wait and see. Charter schools offer parents with choices they may not otherwise have. With many failing schools and schools that are not the right fit, parents need choices within their means. Many families cannot afford the lavish private schools, but that should not mean their children will suffer through a sub par education.
I am interested to see how this story continues...

St. Louis City Schools Left Empty

A thought for the day...does it seem like a good idea to restrict the sale of empty school buildings? If they were sold, the city could make money and neighborhoods could again flourish with community schools. Why would anyone decide to prohibit those sales?

Charter Schools Show Success

Not all public schools are bad, just like not all charter or private schools are superior to public schools. However, overall, the findings are that charter schools have some serious advantages over the standard public schools. (Important note: charter schools are public schools, but are managed differently).
With many school districts in Missouri struggling, there is no doubt as to why charter schools are gaining support. Would you want to send your child to a public school that was unaccredited and your child is failing? What parent would?
An article posted in Missouri Political News Service, written by Sarah Brodsky, describes why charter schools may have a leg up.

SMI Commentary: Charter Schools Succeed at Language Instruction

March 23rd, 2009 by mopns · No Comments

Former Show-Me Institute policy analyst Sarah Brodsky highlights another reason why inner city public schools are failing our children and not preparing them for the 21st century economy.

By Sarah Brodsky

Charter schools, the public schools run by independent organizations that are continual subjects of debate, are often compared to traditional public schools on the basis of facts and figures. Education reformers pore over test scores and graduation rates. They ask how many alumni go on to attend college. They tally the number of school computers and count how many hours students spend in the classroom. All of those measures reveal something about school quality, of course, but parents may consider any number of other factors when choosing where to send their children.

Fortunately, charter schools have the flexibility to tailor their curricula to specific types of student needs. For instance, charter schools that focus on foreign languages are flourishing across the country. Here in Missouri, there is currently one French-immersion charter school, Academie Lafayette of Kansas City, and French- and Spanish-immersion charters are set to open this year in Saint Louis. These specialized charter schools give students language-learning opportunities unmatched by traditional public schools, and their achievement in this area of instruction showcases the charter model’s advantages. Read more…

Online Classes Open Opportunities

While Missouri still currently remains a state without many educational opportunities for children, we are at the very least, allowed to use some virtual learning methods. While this is still controversial for some, the fact is that it opens doors for many children. Those children and parents who cannot choose where they go to school, some will have opportunities to chose online classes. By doing so, they are exposed to a bigger variety of courses, can work from home, and will have exposure to other teachers.

In the STL Today Blogs:

Schools could get funding for online classes

By Roseann Moring

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

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JEFFERSON CITY — The Senate Education Committee today heard about a bill that would allow school districts to get funding for online classes the same way they get funding for regular classes.

Senate President Pro Tem Charlie Shields, R-St. Joseph, sponsored the bill, which garnered support from several school-related organizations.

Proponents said it would allow schools more flexibility, particularly for students who want to take more classes or don’t like normal school hours. They said it also would allow for a wider range of classes, especially in small or rural districts.

Charter School Video

A great new video has been released depicting the bonuses of charter schools. Currently, state law only allows for charter schools in Kansas City and St. Louis.
The current law needs to be expanded to help all children and parents throughout Missouri.

Charter Schools Gaining Ground

The education reform battle, (or movement if you prefer) has been gaining momentum, even when the hardest legislation to pass has yet to come. There are several aspects to the education reform movement, which include school choice, merit pay for teachers, transparency, charter schools, and alternative teacher certification. Missouri managed to pass the alternative certification bill...this is a huge victory, although some may not see the significance.
Another instrumental portion is charter schools. Currently, only Kansas City and St. Louis allow these schools.
A recent article in Springfield's News Leader illustrates the energy charter schools are maintaining. More people are placing their children in charter schools, thereby pulling them out of traditional public schools.
This academic year, about 23 percent of schoolchildren in the Kansas City public school district are now getting their education at one of the city's 18 public charter schools.
Kansas City has more than 7,000 students in those schools.
The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools ranks the city sixth among U.S. communities in the percentage of public school students at charter schools.

Nationally, more than 1.4 million students are enrolled in more than 4,600 public charter schools.
The Kansas City schools are down about 800 students this year. State officials say the enrollment growth might be due to new schools and existing charters opening new campuses.
Charter schools are public schools run by independent boards and supported by the state.

What does it say about the public schools?
Another interesting story...I know a mother in Kansas City, who also happens to be a teacher in public schools. She is largely in favor of school choice, but in fear of the teacher unions, does not want to make this public (which is a shame). Nevertheless, she cannot afford the private school much longer but wants to place her child in a charter school (the name currently escapes me).

More and more parents are putting their children in charter schools or moving to better districts. How bright does the red flag need to be before people realize parents want choice?

Teachers Union Supporting Gay Rights?

Teachers unions have been strong fighters for goals they represent. They have millions of members, millions of dollars, and millions of believers. Recently, the California Teachers Association donated $1 million last week to help defeat a ballot initiative which would ban same-sex marriage. They claim it is a civil rights issue and feel others should not be treated differently. To be clear, I am not taking a stance on this issue…I don’t even live in California.
According to the LA Times:
"I think the California Teachers Assn. is well-known to be a political group, and it's not the first time it has not represented the true voice of its members," said Sonja Eddings Brown, spokeswoman for Protect Marriage California, the measure's backer. She said she agreed that the issue is civil rights -- not those of gay couples, but rather those of children to be raised by a mother and a father.
Parents in states where gay marriage is legal were angered when gay marriage was taught in school, and they could not pull their children out of those lessons.
My question…. teachers unions claim to be protecting themselves as teachers, right? Some even claim they are working together for the students. How does working for gay marriage do either one of these? Now this brings me to my point, the unions are obviously not working for the children and I think that is an important message to parents, students, politicians, and citizens. Many people will buy into whatever propaganda the teachers unions are putting out there. It is no wonder the unions are always the main frontrunners of those fighting against school choice or other education reforms. Are they really doing this for the kids? Doubtful! It is clearly a self-serving act...or possibly a position all teachers represented do not agree with.