One of Boston’s oldest and largest charter schools is facing possible probation because of declining academic achievement, a rarely imposed sanction that could lead to the school’s closing.
The state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education is scheduled to vote Monday on whether to place the Boston Renaissance Charter School on probation, a recommendation pushed by Mitchell Chester, the state’s commissioner of elementary and secondary education.
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Mr. Harris my not be able to say it, but I will something stinks here...this school has had international recognition for what it has done for children who might not have had a chance otherwise. My grandson graduated from the school went to high school and is doing well in college. I have never seen a more dedicated team of educators who put the children first. If there is an arguement for ending the MCAS this is certainly one.
I thought Charter Schools were the answer to all the problems in public education? Yesterday the Globe reports how a charter school is using public funds as a way to secure immigration status for teachers who quickly leave. Now we learn that one of the largest charter schools in the state is endanger of closing because of poor academic performance. Have we spent the last 10 years implementing charter schools and now we learn they are no better than traditional schools?
Yep. Charter schools are a huge boondoggle on the taxpayers' dime.
For years we have been told that "throwing money at the problem" would not help. Now we see that reduced monies to this school are a major factor in its decline. This is also the fact for our traditional public schools. This does not mean that money is the only answer, just that it is a major factor. As importantly one needs skilled, dedicated (willing to remain in the school for more than a few years and while there willing to work after school hours AND continue their professional development) staff. Given money and such a staff, an administration that is equally deicated and trained is also important. All of this can and SHOULD be possible within the traditional public school. Many of Boston's schools offer students the skills they will need to be succesful in life as well as in school. The BPS and the Boston Teachers Union have often been targeted by those who fail to really understand the challenges of inner city education. Nevertheless, in many recent comparisons with other big city schools and many Charter schools, Boston ranks very near the top. There remains much work to do especially in the area of discipline for overage students who use the schools for a hang out rather than a place to improve their lot. For now however, I wish more people would recognize the achievements of the Boston Public Schools, its staff, and especially its students.
Interesting. When the state lowered their enrollment and cut their budget there was actually a 15% increase in their per pupil allotment! In other words when it was being shown that this charter school was doing a lousy job the state's answer was to take more money from the unionized schools. I guess if they could make it harder for traditional schools to do well this charter school wouldn't look so bad.
And I thought that I was the only one who would go right for the numbers. Looking at the amount spent per student by town her in NH I see figures from the high 9's to a lofty 22,000 per student. Does more money equate to higher test scores? That doesn't seem to be the case. Per capita family income and higher scores do seem to go hand in hand. Perhaps having parents with degrees inspire children to work harder in school. Of course, many of the schools in the larger cities have to deal with many more students whose first language is not English and spend more money on programs designed just for them than on the basics. No easy solution.
WhI don't you publish the salaries and expenses at this school?
It is always good to see finances in their original form:
http://search.doe.mass.edu/search.aspx type in Boston Renaissance press search you can look at the annual reports that charters are supposed to file.
On the Mass Gov site you can do a charity search, type in Boston Renaissance and look up their IRS 990, Renaissance hasn't filed since 2010 (!?!):
http://www.charities.ago.state.ma.us/charities/index.asp charities_app_ctx=search&charities_sub_ctx=entry&bod=1361530759
Another inner city success story.
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I worked for Roger Harris and if anybody can turn things around he can. When it comes to educators he's a superstar.
Not everybody shares your belief.
I believe Mr. Harris was led the original charter?
There is a lot of money spent. According to the cited budget, the school's per pupil expenditure from federal funding (alone?) is $13,865.55. How do the school's offerings and expenditures compare with Boston's other Public Schools?
Location, Location, Location! When Boston Renaissance Charter School was located downtown it worked as an alternative to the Boston Public Schools (BPS) for families with more resources living in Back Bay, Beacon Hill and the South End. When it moved to Hyde Park, an East Zone community saturated with charter schools, it was no longer a big fish in a small pond. This made it harder for Renaissance to skim off and cherry pick students.
You have to remember that Renaissance, by virtue of being a charter school is getting $3,146+ more per student than a regular Boston Public School student. Let me explain, charters are not level funded by the students they serve, but by the average the sending district spends on all its students. To educate a Regular Ed student in BPS cost $11,558. However, when you add the cost of all the BPS Special Ed & ELL/LEP students, the cost averages out to $14,704! Charters are paid the average $14,704. even though their population of students is mostly Regular Ed, and in no way reflects the demographic of the Boston Public Schools!
Charter schools also receive "non-tuition revenue" which includes the state and federal nutrition funding, transportation reimbursements, a state grant related to Academic Support Services, and federal entitlement grants including Title I funding directed to the school's tutorial programs, IDEA funding directed at the school's Special Education program, and Title IIA Improving Educator Quality. Then the BPS picks up the citywide transportation costs for Renaissance Charter Students too!
Even though the MADOE had Renaissance reduce their school size, what is interesting here is that the cohort started in 2008 with 197 1st grade students, and there are only 106, 6th grade students remaining this year. So even with the attrition (counseling out?) of over 91 students, they are still underperforming.
Boston’s Mayor Menio is trying to pass legislation to turn all Level 3 schools in Massachusetts into "turnaround schools." Renaissance is a Level 3 charter school, who is getting so much more money than our traditional public schools per student, and have so many cherry picking "autonomies" that have decimated our BPS traditional schools, will they be held accountable? Will Renaissance Charter be "turning-around" and spinning too?
I have a second grade student that was UNSUCCESSFUL at the Renaissance School since they were not able to meet her special learning needs. So now BPS needs to undo the time she spent at that school to bring her skills up since she was not getting what she need to meed her learning challenges. She is one of those numbers that are possibly 'counseled out'.
I am sorry to learn that Magrait's child's needs went unmet by this charter shool.
A good example of the madness of high stakes testing for education reform and decision - making. While Rome burns, we bean count who are passing these tests. But not asking, what is quality education for our changing world... See, M. Foucault "A History of Madness"...