Buckeye Hunting...

Does Policy Really Matter?

Holy Toledo! It looks like some policy makers in Ohio are finally on a mission -- and its not hunting for buckeyes.

In fact, after conducting a thorough investigation, Policy Matters of Ohio has concluded that the charter school system in Ohio is in dire need of revamping and that it's time for last call in the land of "do whatever we want to do in charter schools." (And they needed to compile a report to come up with that conclusion)?

Now our boys from Concept Schools were featured in the report as well as other Ohio mischief makers participating in the Ohio charter school system. And one other reoccurring theme in the report is that two of the "sponsoring" school districts, Buckeye and Lucas County had multiple violations across the board.

That's of particular interest to us because we have repeatedly tried to get the two school districts to respond to our "concerns" over the past several years. But like the boys, the two school districts conveniently skirted the issues (and as the report notes -- did not participate in surveys for the report).

So let's see how this all plays out and hope that the legislators actually act on the information in the report and mandate some significant changes.

But then again -- we can always go back to searching for buckeyes -- we hear that they are about as rare as the boys telling the truth.

“Report blasts Ohio charter school law”

September 22, 2010: Management firms often skirt or violate law, study findsby Scott Stephens

http://www.catalyst-ohio.org/news/index.php?item=1020&cat=28

September 22, 2010: Management firms often skirt or violate law, study findsby Scott StephensOhio’s charter school law often violates the standards set forth by national charter-school advocates, a new study charges.

The role of management organizations – both for-profit and nonprofit – in the state’s charter school system is the focus of a new study by Policy Matters Ohio, a Cleveland-based research organization. About half of the state’s more than 300 charter schools are run by management organizations.

The study, released Tuesday, found that Ohio law allows millions of public dollars to be transferred into private hands with little or no oversight. The report also documents a litany of dubious practices in which state law is either skirted or violated.

Although charter school boards are legally responsible for their schools, board members often have ties to the very management companies which they in-turn hire to operate their schools, the study found.

The report recommends fundamental changes to Ohio’s charter school law to prevent such practices.

“Nobody thinks charter schools are going to go away and I don’t think they should go away,” says Piet van Lier, Policy Matters Ohio researcher and the report’s author. “The question is how do we create a governance system that works?”

Among the study’s findings:

Ohio charter school law violates many of the criteria set forth by the National Association of Charter School Authorizers. Mostly, the state allows for the roles of school board, school authorizer, and school operator to be blurred.
Some charter school board members serve on boards for more than two schools – a violation of state law. Sometimes, identical boards for different schools meet at the same time.
Management companies often control nearly all of a school’s funds. “Poison pill” agreements make it virtually impossible for schools to get rid of a management firm because the financial penalty for doing so would be prohibitive.

Reaction to the report was mixed. Terry Ryan, vice president for Ohio operations for the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, says he agrees that changes in state charter law are necessary to ensure better schools. The institute sponsors charter schools in Ohio.

“We’re with Piet that improvements have to be made ,” Ryan says. “Fordham would be the first to admit that Ohio charter school law blurs the line of responsibilities among the authorizer, operator and boards of charter schools.”

But Ryan took issue with the way the report portrays the practices of two Fordham-sponsored schools in Dayton operated by EdisonLearning Inc., a for-profit management firm. Ryan says an independent board of Dayton civic and business leaders chose EdisonLearning through a competitive bidding process. He also said the schools have their own attorney and independent treasurer.

“Fordham likes to think that we’re not only talking the talk, but living it,” he says. “We like to think that this is the way it’s supposed to be done.”

Full report:

http://www.policymattersohio.org/pdf/AuthorizedAbuse2010.pdf

Pay particular attention to Concept School “highlights,” on pages, 11, 17, 28, 29, and 38. Also, both Buckeye and Lucas County are sponsoring school districts for Concept Schools and are frequently noted throughout the report for violations.

The Executive summary report is also listed on the website -- all 44 pages.