Comments

Charter School Parents tend to be more dedicated wrote on Aug 29, 2009 2:02 PM:

" More Dedicated parents tend to have children who do better in school. So therefore, Charter schools end up with more dedicated parents with children that see higher success. It's simple. If you want better for your children start with yourself. "




Gameboy wrote on Aug 26, 2009 6:24 PM:

" Charter Schools are designed to be independently run in the school district. The school board approves their budget and changes. The innovation charter schools brings to our community is stifled with a few school board zealots meddling in charter school administration.
Charter schools are a success and do it with greater parent involvement and fewer dollars. They do make the administration look bad financially. "




Charter Parent wrote on Aug 25, 2009 9:25 PM:

" My children attend a charter school and we are very happy with the education they are receiving. However, I find the request by The Academy for funding for land disgusting. There are certain things that come with being a charter school. IStop the"we are so extra special" talk and live by the rules.Yes your children are getting a good education and yes you get to do it outside of the usual rules and the "take everyone who shows up" public school requirements. This doesn't mean you get extra consideration becuase you are sooooooo wonderful. Stop whining! "




Send them off wrote on Aug 25, 2009 8:58 AM:

" Charter Schools keep the problem kids out. Trust me, two of my friends are principals at 2 different Charter schools and they will tell you that if a kid messes up, they threaten to send them back. If all schools could do that you would see the test score shoot through the roof and problems would be minor. The only problem is we would have 10% of the valley kids wondering around durning the day when the rest of us are at work or school. "




clarence wrote on Aug 24, 2009 7:16 PM:

" Charter schools a successful by getting parents, staff and students working on the same goal-learning. If anyone doesn't want to work on learning, they leave the school. Hence, the greater chance of success. It isn't surprising if you consider almost ever successful organization uses the same model. Regular public schools are not set up like charters, so comparisons are not very helpful to either school because they serve different goals. The goal of regular school is to be open for every child if they want to learn or not. And, some don't. Amazing? "




Good conversations here wrote on Aug 24, 2009 1:10 PM:

" Much of what has been posted is true. My family has used Charter Schools for years to avoid all the dysfunction at the local school level. The kids who's families do not care rarely use them. Being low income does not mean Dysfunctional. The problem is, as Charter School grow in numbers, it will force the local school to deal with a larger % of at risk families with disturbed children. Then everyone will say "look at how good the Charter Educate". "




Big Bobs out wrote on Aug 24, 2009 6:16 AM:

" Charter schools are great! They get to carefully select students that are bound to succeed and keep the riff raff and assorted jocks out, just like private schools. Only at public expense. Ain't democracy great? "




Reality Checker wrote on Aug 24, 2009 6:04 AM:

" The idea that Academy is a better school simply due to test scores is faulty. First, test scores do not define a school. Academy does, as do all schools, many great things that can never be captured by numbers.

If scores are to rule the day, however, perhaps we should consider the state "PIP" score. It counts raising kids' scores ("teaching"), not just maintaining the scores of already-proficient kids, as Academy generally does. According to that score, some "public" schools in the borough, including some in direct competition with Academy, are better.

eed.state.ak.us/spip/2009/09AKSPIPStatewideResults.pdf "




JCBigLake wrote on Aug 23, 2009 8:34 PM:

" I've been following the board this year. I don't think they're against charter schools. I think some wanted the wording of the land resolution changed so that it would stand a better chance of passing, not to insult Academy Charter. "




what about funding wrote on Aug 23, 2009 7:21 PM:

" Charter schools do all the wonderful things they do on a very limited budget. It is my understanding that they receive the state portion of their funding (minus a handling fee), but NONE of the borough portion of funding. That is why many of the parents that pay borough taxes feel like second class citizens.
Enrollment at charter schools is exceeding capacity-- creating waitlists. I believe this points to the fact that parents want an alternative to school as usual. "




Wasting time wrote on Aug 23, 2009 7:11 PM:

" Both public charters and the traditional delivery system of public schools provide excellent options for families! Please do not inhibit Matsu schools with Anchorage policies! NO additional bureaucracy! School Board..you should have so much more to focus your concerns on than the successful charter schools! WHY are you messing with success? WHY do you expect the worst, when their track records demonstrate only high standards? Work on the real worries of the district...what will you do when the stimulus funds are gone? "




Get the facts wrote on Aug 23, 2009 6:31 PM:

" Mat-Su charter schools do NOT receive ANY of the local tax portion, approx. $2500 per student, and the district is able to KEEP that money to help pay for all of the OTHER district programs every year! So, to the person who thinks charters BLEED off money...well, maybe it's time that the Charters actually took their full share, (state per pupil funding PLUS the local tax dollars.) Thus far, impressively, charters have figured out ways to make it work - with less money, lousy facilities, and little help! It's time. charters go after local tax dollars! "




Super voter too wrote on Aug 23, 2009 11:52 AM:

" Charter school families are taking note as to which School Board members need to depart from the Board as we cast our VOTES on Oct. 6 and then again, as we vote again next fall! Charter schools in the Mat-Su are very successful! MIdnight Sun and Academy have a 12 year record of success...plus the students they produce are empowered with the love of learning and the skills to be successful! (MOST are NOT doctors kids!)
Let Charters continue to thrive by casting your vote for those who stand up for parent choice in education!!! "




Charters Rock wrote on Aug 23, 2009 11:36 AM:

" It is easy for naysayers of Charters to throw accusations around, with NO evidence and NO facts to substantiate their empty statements. Charters serve approx. 800+ children in the valley, with more charters on their way in the approval process. District teachers and principals work at these schools and are top notch! The Charters have the full range of economic leveled families. All four existing charters have a number of students with active "individual education plans". (special ed) So...quick trying to throw rocks at charters....THEY WORK and are part of the public school system! "




Wasilla_Blogzilla wrote on Aug 23, 2009 10:53 AM:

" There is room in our system for both traditional public schools and charter schools. What there doesn't seem to be room for though are good ideas that come from the public and not the bloated school administration. If it's not admins. idea, then it can't be good for the kids. This philosophy was started during the Bob Doyle era. These top school bureaucrats almost always put the kibosh on any outside ideas and try to destroy these programs. After all they saw these ideas when they went ot conventions in the lower 48. "




brvak wrote on Aug 23, 2009 9:10 AM:

" There is only so much money for the education system. The services provided by Charter schools are a duplication of existing services. There for they bleed money from that general fund pay for their format. Be it "high tech" or "spanish emersion" or whatever the charter school du jour.
Then, after a few years, they feel like they are entitled to the same facilites already available at the school across the street and complaining they are second class citizens. I feel they have made their own bed and now they should learn in it. Or cross the street. "




to bob wrote on Aug 22, 2009 10:58 PM:

" I've watched Colver take the district administration to task over spending monies on programs that can't be supported. He also supports the employees who provide services to kids and schools, and when push comes to shove he doesn't budge when administrators throws a fit and other board members want to cave in to administration demands for these programs. Too bad there aren't more like him on the board who want to fix the budget process and get more money to schools and out of district programs loved by the administration. "




bob wrote on Aug 22, 2009 2:08 PM:

" Super Voter, are you Colver's campaign manager or what? Colver has caused more division this past year than working with the other school board members. He bullies the members and kids, employees and schools are caught in the middle. He needs to learn some manners! "




GoMoose wrote on Aug 22, 2009 1:46 PM:

" The lottery to get into that school is a joke. Either it's fixed or Doctors (and other influential community members) are the luckiest group on earth becasue their kids always get selected. If it's legit than there should be no problem letting the School district run the lottery.

With respect ot the test scores, I would like to see just how good that school does with a third party admin of the testing process. It's amazing what an eraser and #2 pencil can do to scores. "




B.F.A. wrote on Aug 22, 2009 1:23 PM:

" We don't need any schools anymore anyways, I didn't get no education past 8th grade and I'm proof you can succeed. I hunt for my food and live in a house with my own bare hands. Everyone shoudl go back to nature and drop out of school. "




Old School Mamma wrote on Aug 22, 2009 7:35 AM:

" A few questions for Academy Charter Supports.
1) How many special education students do you accept?
2) How many English Second Language students?
3) How many free or reduced lunch students ?
I doubt your numbers are equal to schools in MatSu.
4) Could this be the reason for the Board's lack of enthusiasm for your school?
5) Could this be the reason for your "High Test Scores"?
Thanks to the "Old School" type schools that do have average to high test scores, and welcome all children into their classrooms. "




Enrollment Down wrote on Aug 21, 2009 11:11 PM:

" Charter Schools are great, but special consideration to one school is not appropriate. School Board had better be addressingt declining enrollment and its impact on the budget. Teachers are being laid off! I suppose they will watch the numbers and they may improve. It is clear that further belt tightening is coming. - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Charter school grand plans need to be solved with their own fund raising and parent support. We don't need a big school. Lets just build another one in another neighborhood. Just a bad idea and bad timing to buy land for a charter school. "




Charter School supporter wrote on Aug 21, 2009 9:41 PM:

" I don't understand the negative feed back from the School Board when it comes to Charter Schools, especially the successful ones in the Valley, it's time to start voting for School Board members that support ALL PUBLIC SCHOOLS!! "




parent wrote on Aug 21, 2009 7:22 PM:

" Susan Pougher brought these issues to the school board and she didn't support buying land for Academy Charter. She wants the school board to have more control of charter schools. Pougher is the moving force behind all this and should be held to task when she runs next October. All the rest of them are hopefully listening to parents who love their charter schools just the way they are now. "




super voter wrote on Aug 21, 2009 1:09 PM:

" The actions of the School Board are just pathetic. BUT, one School Board Member really stepped up to the plate and has always been a force battling his colleagues in support of Charter schools, and that's Jim Colver. I'd hate to see him thrown under the bus with the rest of them. Eric Cordero, although less out spoken, seems to be a Charter school supporter, as well. As far as the rest of them go, we can hope they have an open mind and let go of their bias. Our only other option starts October 6th with voting. "




olde school wrote on Aug 21, 2009 10:28 AM:

" Charter schools, church based education and home schooling have always been a thorn in the public education"s side. Competition is not welcome when the end results often are a higher educated student that posesses moral, ethical and community values. The actions of the school board really come as no suprise to me........ "