01.24.2017

As the Trump administration prepares to take office with plans to dilute charter school oversight, a new report demonstrates why a lack of accountability can hurt students.

The report from the Center for Popular Democracy, the League of Women Voters Florida, and the League of United Latin American Citizens, shows that in Florida, a state where charter schools have boomed in recent years, many charter schools are failing to provide a superior education – even with millions of taxpayer dollars invested in their growth.

The report shows an alarming number of failing students in many of the state’s charter schools. In nearly 40 percent of the state’s charter schools, a minimum of 47 percent of students have failed at least one state exam – 100,000 students across the state overall. These schools are considered a “C” grade or lower under Florida’s rating system. Nearly eight percent of charter schools are rated “F”, meaning more than 69 percent of students have failed at least one exam.

Enrollment at Florida’s charter schools has nearly doubled in the past ten years, fueled by hundreds of millions in state investment. In total, the state has spent more than $760 million on the building and operation of charter schools since 2000. Today, the majority of state funding for the construction and renovation of schools goes to charter schools.

In recent months, however, charter schools in the state have come under the microscope, with two schools – Windsor Prep Academy and Pathways Charter Academy in Lauderdale Lakes – closing after allegations of financial mismanagement. As of August of last year, 22 charters were shut down in 2016, putting closures on track to exceed the number in 2015, when 27 charters closed. Of the $760 million spent on charters since 2000, $70 million has gone to schools that were later shuttered.

There have also been growing concerns about the close ties between charter schools and the lawmakers charged with regulating them. A school board member in Jacksonville, for example, received nearly half of her campaign contributions from charter schools. In the current election cycle, Florida’s biggest charter school companies have sent more than $343,000 to political action groups and State Senate and House candidates – the lawmakers with primary responsibility over regulating charter schools.

State oversight will be more important than ever in coming years. Trump’s pick for Education Secretary, Betsy DeVos, has a long history of opposing any kind of charter oversight – even for failing schools. Her push for charter schools in Detroit has been called “what even charter advocates acknowledge is the biggest school reform disaster in the country.” If DeVos is confirmed, it is likely that regulations over charter schools at the federal level will be loosened.

The new report recommends putting a moratorium on new schools in Florida until existing charters can show more improvement, as well as more transparency into charter school finances, including more public information about charter managers with a history of failing schools.

Kyle Serrette, Director of Education Justice at Center for Popular Democracy, released the following statement:

“For the past two decades, Florida communities have been flooded with charter schools, and now, we are learning that many of the promises charter operators made simply have not come true. More than one in five schools have received extraordinarily poor grades from the state and many enroll significantly fewer economically disadvantaged students. Florida lawmakers have the responsibility to ensure charter schools are providing students with the education they deserve and holding themselves to the standards we would expect of any school.”

Pamela Goodman, President of the League of Women Voters Florida, also released a statement: 

“Our system of school choice divides the available public funding among public, charter and private schools, raising the costs of infrastructure and administration. As a result, no one sector is adequately funded. The priority must be students, combining systems that make the best use of our public funds. The needs of our students must come first in making decisions about how to invest our financial resources. For our students’ sake it is time to step back, fairly assess all educational options, and use the brain trust of Florida educators, not politicians to make the best decisions for our schools.”

Mari Corugedo, Florida State Director of the League of United Latin American Citizens, also released a statement:

“We must ensure every child in Florida has equal access to an excellent education – and unfortunately, many charter schools in our state are falling short. The belief that charter schools are an improvement is an illusion, when in reality many are failing our students and community. When tax dollars are used, taxpayers, communities, community leaders, and elected officials must be able to follow the money. Charter schools must be held to the same rules, reporting, and regulations as public schools and a moratorium must be placed on the creation of new schools until they do. We cannot go back to schools that are separate and unequal.”

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www.populardemocracy.org

The Center for Popular Democracy promotes equity, opportunity, and a dynamic democracy in partnership with innovative base-building organizations, organizing networks and alliances, and progressive unions across the country. CPD builds the strength and capacity of democratic organizations to envision and advance a pro-worker, pro-immigrant, racial justice agenda.

Media Contact: 

Asya Pikovsky, apikovsky@populardemocracy.org, 207-522-2442

Anita Jain, ajain@populardemocracy.org, 347-636-9761