I have mixed feelings about Charter Schools. My main problem centers on the Charter School of Wilmington and its Admission Placement test and the way their success is touted – as if CSW teachers/staff/administrators have accomplished an amazing academic feat, instead of the truth: If you only accept the best and the brightest students the grades/test scores will reflect your selective admission policy.
That doesn’t mean that CSW isn’t a good school, but it ain’t performing academic miracles. So my beef is about comparing apples to oranges.
Now we’re adding four more Charter Schools.
•The New Maurice J. Moyer Academy, which would be in the same Eastside building that housed Moyer Academy, which lost its charter last year because of problems including poor academic performance. The applicant for the new charter is K12 Inc., the same charter school management firm contracted by the state to oversee the school this academic year. The school would continue to serve grades 6-12. K12 is a private, for-profit company that also runs Internet-based charter schools.
•First State Math and Science Academy, which would be in northern New Castle County, would focus on math, science and technology. In the 2012-13 school year, it would open to 200 students in grades six and seven. It would enroll up to 500 students in grades six to 10 by 2015-16 school year.
•Delaware Institute of Technology would be a college preparatory school that offers students a focus in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math program. The school, which would be in central New Castle County, would open in 2012-13 with 180 students in grades nine and 10. It would eventually have 510 students in grades nine to 12.
•I Am Academy Leadership & Technical Institute, to be in New Castle County, would initially open to 400 students in grades six to nine but would eventually grow to 1,060 students in six to 12.
I’m also not that comfortable with the narrow focus (math, science and technology) in Middle School. It strikes me as a bit limiting at that age, but, then again, I thought a Liberal Arts degree was a good launching pad and created a well rounded person. Silly me.
Thoughts?