ACLU Weighs In On Newark Charter School

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The ACLU sends a letter to Secretary Lowery and Governor Markell. Check inside for the full letter. In the past I've been on the fence with Charter Schools, but my opinion is changing - mainly due to their admission policies, the way they can disinvite students, and, in the case of NCS, the way they can shape their population by not having a cafeteria, thereby eliminating a Free and Reduced Lunch program. Which leads me to ask... Are Charter Schools really public schools? Other than public funding and having to provide their own space (for now), how are Charter Schools comparable to public schools. The more I learn the more I think that Charters have more in common with Private Schools. Are Charter Schools really publicly funded private schools?

Is There A Tipping Point When It Comes To Charter Schools?

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Charter schools have moved front and center in the education debate, mainly due to the announcements over the past month. First, there was the donated BofA building slated to house charter schools. This school would hold approximately 2,000 students. Then there was the expansion of Newark Charter School. Once fully operational, this school would hold an estimated 2,300 students. Odyssey Charter moved into the spotlight with its expansion plan. Projected enrollment: 1,716. That's a lot of charter. The question is... Is there a tipping point when it comes to Charter Schools and how they impact traditional Public Schools?

Public Hearing For Newark Charter School Moved To Larger Venue

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he Public Hearing for Newark Charter School has been moved from the Townsend Building to a larger venue to accommodate greater public participation. The new location is the Department of Natural Resources & Environmental Control (DNREC) Auditorium. It is within walking distance from the DDOE (approximately a ¼ mile). Attached are the directions and revised public notice. We will have signage posted at DDOE and staff available to redirect constituents and give them directions to the new building. Please share this update with your constituents. We will start the hearing 15 minutes later to allow for the transition.

Wilmington City Council vs. Newark Charter School

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Anyone else get the feeling that education in Delaware is about to explode? Personally, I'd like to slow the entire Charter (and Choice) train down. I can't keep up, and can't shake the feeling that these Charters and our legislators are privy to information that the rest of read only after the deal is done. Basically, I'm not supposed to keep up or catch up. Meanwhile, things are moving forward in City government.

A Comment At Kilroy’s Sparks Another Education Post

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I'll post the original comment from commenter, Deliberate_1, first and then my reply. Click inside to read it. After reading this yesterday my head was spinning. First, this guy is really angry and defensive. I almost didn't respond, but then Cassandra came over last night and we got to talking. What follows is what we discussed - a mind meld of pandora and cassandra. Pull up a chair, this is going to take a while.

Education Segregation: Delaware Black Caucus Threatens To Sue

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While Race to the Top may be the trigger, the re-segregation of our schools was well underway long before RTTT with the help of Choice, Neighborhood School's Law, and Charters. Jea Street spells it out: "The new millennium term is 'charter school' and 'choice school. I call it segregation. There are black charter schools and there are predominantly white charter schools. You can call it what you want, but it is what it is."

NAACP Issues Charter School Resolution

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Here's what caught my attention:
WHEREAS, in some cases, charter schools have become a school model that is used to segregate students; and
Ya think? Charter Schools have also allowed School Districts to shift their responsibilities to these students to Charters. Which is why I've always wondered why Charter proponents wanted to serve on Public School Boards. Always struck me as being an employee of Pepsi, but promoting Coke. And you gotta love the way a Public School District Board's plan for your public school is to give it away. It's almost as if they're saying, "Hey, we stink at this education thingy, so we'll give it to someone else."