Six charter schools caught cheating

[one...two...tree 2,762]

The Los Angeles Board of Education voted Tuesday to shut down six charter schools that were accused of widespread cheating on last year's standardized tests, citing the malfeasance and an insufficient response to it.

The board took the initiative to revoke the charter of the Crescendo organization despite an earlier recommendation by the district to reauthorize its schools for another five years. District staff had said they believed that the charter board had taken adequate steps to deal with the scandal.

But on Tuesday, a day after The Times detailed Crescendo's problems, incoming Supt. John Deasy recommended an investigation by the Inspector General of the Los Angeles Unified School District. Pending those results, a one-year renewal could be considered, Deasy said.

Crescendo founder/executive director John Allen allegedly ordered principals and teachers to prepare students for last year's exams with the actual test questions. Several teachers at the schools alerted the district about the cheating.

Allen, who initially denied wrongdoing when confronted, was demoted, according to district documents and interviews. Principals received 10-day suspensions.

A contingent from Crescendo declined to comment after the board vote.

"This charter school is thumbing their nose at the district and thumbing their nose at the rules," said board member Tamar Galatzan, who called on her colleagues to revoke the charter. Crescendo should not have "another year to do what they were supposed to do in the first place."

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-0302-lausd-charters-20110302,0,1573991.story

[Zero Sum 305]

Poor kids, being dis-serviced by the reliance of standardized tests to pretty much measure their academic progress.

Are these teachers unionized? Many charter school teachers are not employees of many union-protected positions, so they couldn't protest these orders if they wanted to.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Poor kids, being dis-serviced by the reliance of standardized tests to pretty much measure their academic progress.

Are these teachers unionized? Many charter school teachers are not employees of many union-protected positions, so they couldn't protest these orders if they wanted to.

Most charter schools follow the for-profit business model that many critics of public schools admire. When profit/scores become the primary motivation, there will be a tendency to cut corners to achieve such results. Critics of public schools think the opposite - that without such motivations, school officials and teachers become complacent and lazy - as if altruism doesn't exist.

[Zero Sum 305]

That's what I've heard of charters. IMO not-for profit charters are the ones that should be thriving. Even with non-union teachers, the mission of mahy of those institutions and the agreement between hired teachers and institution includes, very clearly, that the primary priority is educating students effectively in an environment that is conductive to learning- including adequate support of teachers and students. Some people will not like the cost associated with paying for that and will call it robbery from their taxes. Herding kids into a classroom with a disgruntled employee is not a very smart thing to do.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

That's what I've heard of charters. IMO not-for profit charters are the ones that should be thriving. Even with non-union teachers, the mission of mahy of those institutions and the agreement between hired teachers and institution includes, very clearly, that the primary priority is educating students effectively in an environment that is conductive to learning- including adequate support of teachers and students. Some people will not like the cost associated with paying for that and will call it robbery from their taxes. Herding kids into a classroom with a disgruntled employee is not a very smart thing to do.

I agree. The profit motive doesn't belong in our schools.

[Obama 2012 1,714]

I agree. The profit motive doesn't belong in our schools.

Sure it does.

This is why school vouchers should be the ideal way of things.

A high-performing school will make money. A low performing school won't.

[Zero Sum 305]

I agree. The profit motive doesn't belong in our schools.

The profitability should come with the students achieving more than just high test scores. Critical thinking is highly undervalued and very much misunderstood by those that call critical thinking mistrusting the particular political agenda of those they oppose. I call that seeding paranoia.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Sure it does.

This is why school vouchers should be the ideal way of things.

A high-performing school will make money. A low performing school won't.

The profit model doesn't work for every endeavor, particularly when that endeavor requires a commitment and dedication that goes beyond self-serving.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

The profitability should come with the students achieving more than just high test scores. Critical thinking is highly undervalued and very much misunderstood by those that call critical thinking mistrusting the particular political agenda of those they oppose. I call that seeding paranoia.

Recognition goes a long way, even in the private sector. Studies have shown that employees respond most positively to praise and acknowledgment of their hard work. Compensation is also important, but teachers don't get into the profession to become economically independent.

[Zero Sum 305]

Recognition goes a long way, even in the private sector. Studies have shown that employees respond most positively to praise and acknowledgment of their hard work. Compensation is also important, but teachers don't get into the profession to become economically independent.

You must be misinformed. Teachers demand way too much and require that they shut up and accept what administrators and bureaucrats tell them to put up with.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

A high-performing school will make money. A low performing school won't.

What's the performance measurement, though? Graduation rates? Test scores? Admission rates to colleges? All of those? Question then becomes, how do you shield the results from being manipulated as seems to have been the case in the sample discussed in the OP? The profit motive to manipulate most certainly exists. Where's the effective safeguard against it? I have no problem rewarding performance in education but look no further than the many private colleges to see what a challenge it is to keep them honest.

[JohnSmith2007 353]

I agree. The profit motive doesn't belong in our schools.

The government run way of doing thing is working so well.

[Zero Sum 305]

What's the performance measurement, though? Graduation rates? Test scores? Admission rates to colleges? All of those? Question then becomes, how do you shield the results from being manipulated as seems to have been the case in the sample discussed in the OP? The profit motive to manipulate most certainly exists. Where's the effective safeguard against it? I have no problem rewarding performance in education but look no further than the many private colleges to see what a challenge it is to keep them honest.

+1 to an honest set of questions that exceeds rhetoric and jargon.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

The government run way of doing thing is working so well.

[JohnSmith2007 353]

Are you 12 years old? You certainly act like it. Call me whatever makes you feel better since your getting your azz kicked in all these debates.