Charter Schools in
the Local Context
EDS/Soc 126: Topic 10 Part 2
Some Quick Facts about
Charters in San Diego
35 charters
13,000 students (10%
of SDUSD)
30 of 35: South of 8
• Notables:
–
–
–
–
KIPP
High Tech Hi
King-Chavez
UCSD Partnerships
with Preuss,
Gompers
Dimensions of Reform
• Structural/Technical Changes--add resources, such
as equipment, teachers, modify school day, class
size, school size (Gates)
• Cultural Changes--address educators’, citizens’
beliefs about reasons for performance (race,
ethnicity, gender) (Oakes, Turning Points)
• Political--mobilize constituencies to assist with
change effort (civil rights struggles)
• Some Reform Efforts deploy only one; others lead
with one, activate the others
• Question: Which “theory of action” do charters use?
Goals/Purposes of Charters
• Possibilities
– Increase parental choice; level the playing field-participate in contest mobility system (Turner)
– Develop a critical consciousness among youth
through critical pedagogy (Nash)
• Actualities: Increase parental choice; level the
playing field--participate in contest mobility
system (Turner)
Reminder: Advocates
CLAIM Charter Schools:
Reduce bureaucracy
Stimulate competition among public
schools--public schools will improve or
close
Improve students’ academic performance
Are more innovative than public schools
Will be held accountable
EVIDENCE about CLAIM that
SD Charters Reduce
Bureaucracy
• San Diego Charters, like all charters do
report about compliance with State and
federal laws, standards and
accountability (annual API scores)
• San Diego charters can and do hire
teachers locally (local control vs.
tenure/union issue)
EVIDENCE @ CLAIM that SD
Charters Stimulate Competition
Like the national situation, very little
evidence
Local case: Lincoln HS attempts to adopt
Preuss practices of modified block
schedule, on-site teacher professional
development
Constraints: SDEA rules and regulations
EVIDENCE @ CLAIM that SD
Charters Innovate
• Preuss/Gompers: Based on
research on schooling and
cognitive development
– Universal development
(Cicourel&Mehan)
– Detracking: rigorous
curriculum + scaffolds
(Alvarez&Mehan)
• HTH: Based on
Dewey/Meier—inquiry and
project-based learning
Social
Support
System
Previous Academic Record
Preuss/Gompers
Theory of Action
• Structural
– Only college prep track
– Longer school day, week,
year
– Advisory periods
– Teacher Professional
development in school
day
– Range of assessmentsportfolios, exhibitions
Preuss/Gompers
Theory of Action
• Cultural
– GCMS: “Culture Camp”
to instill common high
expectations,
predictability
– College teams
– signs, banners, uniforms
to signal “college going
culture”
– UCSD students serve as
tutors, role models
Preuss/Gompers
Theory of Action
• Political
– UCSD: Contentious
debate led to
CREATE & Preuss
– Gompers: Also
contentious: Activist
parents + Sup’t +
community groups
led to charter
Other Local Innovations:
HTH, KIPP
Range of academic calendar (zero periods, contracts,
periods of varying, longer school year)
Local personnel decisions
Embed teacher professional development in school day
Project based learning (hands-on, tie students’ experience
to disciplinary concepts)
Range of assessments—not just standardized tests—
including portfolios, exhibitions
HTH: offers teaching credential!
EVIDENCE @ CLAIM that SD
Charters ImprovePerformance
•
•
Preuss: 4-year College Enrollment
– 2004: 80% (N=55)
– 2005: 84% (N=75)
– 20O6: 78% (N=87)
– 2007: 87% (N=78)
– 2008: 87% (N=87)
– 2009: 93% (N=93)
Preuss: State-wide Tests (API)
– 2004: 2nd in County (844)
– 2005: 1st in County (861)
– 2006: 2nd in County (879)
– 2007: 1st in County (877)
– 2008: 1st in County (881)
– 2009: 1st in County (894)
GCMS
EVIDENCE @ CLAIM that SD
Charters ImprovePerformance
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
School
Preuss
HiTechHi
SDHS IB
SDHSLEADS
C’fordIDEA
Hoover
Lincoln
2007API
877
807
783
637
570
562
n/a
2008API
881
785
800
717
573
578
540
EVIDENCE @ CLAIM that SD
Charters ImprovePerformance
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
School
Preuss
TorreyPines
La Jolla Hi
HiTechHi
Scripps
Pt Loma
2007API
877
852
829
807
785
672
2008API
881
849
818
785
820
709
Summary
• Local Charters have better record than
US average:
– Bureaucracy
– Competition
– Student achievement
– Educate all students? Or promote more
segregation?