Despite overwhelming evidence, seven states introducing takeover bills in 2016
02/08/2016
WASHINGTON — Today, the Center for Popular Democracy released a report, State Takeovers of Low-Performing Schools: A Record of Academic Failure, Financial Mismanagement, & Student Harm, showing that all statewide takeovers of low-performing schools have failed to achieve positive results and have instead resulted in harm to students and communities.
Kyle Serrette, the Director of Education Justice at Center for Popular Democracy, released the following statement:
“An education strategy that consistently has not been able to achieve its intended results doesn’t make sense. The data is clear: state takeovers harm students, families, and communities.”
Despite the poor track record of statewide school takeovers, lawmakers in seven states — Wisconsin, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Utah — have introduced bills to expand the number of takeover districts in 2016, following 2015, when nine states introduced legislation to create statewide takeover districts: Arkansas, Georgia, Nevada, Missouri, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, and Wisconsin.
In 2003, Louisiana established the “Recovery School District,” the first statewide district of this kind. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the state rapidly expanded its takeover district. Tennessee followed suit, creating its “Achievement School District” in 2010 and expanding it in 2012. Finally, Michigan established its “Education Achievement Authority” in 2013, explicitly modeling it on the Louisiana precedent.
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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