Comments on: Senate easily passes expanded charter school bill http://msbusiness.com/blog/2013/01/17/senate-easily-passes-expanded-charter-school-bill/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=senate-easily-passes-expanded-charter-school-bill Mississippi Business Journal Wed, 19 Jun 2013 12:22:24 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 By: John Long http://msbusiness.com/blog/2013/01/17/senate-easily-passes-expanded-charter-school-bill/#comment-141788 John Long Thu, 17 Jan 2013 16:57:08 +0000 http://msbusiness.com/?p=68294#comment-141788 What about the part of the charter bill that will create a new board? Why do we need another Obama type increase in government? Who is going to serve on this new board? What can this new board do that The Mississippi State Board of Education, which is already composed of professional educators, can’t do.? What is the function of this new board?
This a very important point that has been discussed behind the closed door meetings for sure. The reason to know for sure there was a discussion about the new board which is hand picked by Bryant and Reeves, that is because each one gets to pick three members of a total of seven members on the board. Bryant picks three; Reeves picks three, and The State Superintendent of Education picks one.
What are the guidelines for the members of this new board? Under the new law, the appointed board must have experience in public and nonprofit goverence. We already have that in our State Board of Education.
The hand picked new board must have experience in public education law. We already have that in our present State Board.
The hand picked new board must have experience in public school leadership. We already have that one too.
The Governor and Lt. Governor will hand pick the new board that must have knowledge and experience in student assessment, curriculum and student instruction. The State Board has that one too especially if properly funded and allowed to use their skills to oversee and manage the charter schools and oversee if the charter schools are providing better student outcomes.

So what makes Bryant, who has never taught in the public schools and Reeves, who wants a charter school in all school districts think they have more expertise to pick a board that better than what we already have in place? Where are they getting their expertise to pick a board that is going to be the authorizer of the charter schools?

Ask them that question please and listen real close because they do not have any experience in picking a charter school authorizer.

Now what is the function of a charter school authorizer? The authorizer picks the private corporations that are the ones that manage the schools. The authorizer sets the terms of the contract with the private companies.

The authorizer makes sure the students are getting a better educational than before. The authorizer makes sure the money is managed properly and not wasted or stolen. The authorizer makes sure the charter school is doing an honest job at what they have contracted to do.
And since 15 percent of charters fail , the authorizer who is failing and whether or not to renew the contract and close down the school.

Reasonable minded people would say, I think, that The State Board of Education should be the authorizer.

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