The two types of charter schools in Massachusetts are not-for-profit charter schools that communicate with local school committees and for-profit charter schools.
The majority of these schools are in lower economic neighborhoods across the state. Sabis, a for-profit charter school, is a corporation that operates on four continents (see Sabis U.S.A.) Sabis schools in Massachusetts are in Springfield, Holyoke and in Lowell. Everett, Boston and now Brockton.
Brockton fought a proposal by Sabis for a charter school in its community. The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE), on Feb. 23, approved a new Sabis charter school in Brockton. This happened against the requests of the superintendent of schools, the School Committee, the City Council, members of the regional state Legislature including state senator, house members and a majority of the constituents. The BESE voted 7-3. The BESE said this vote was based on parent application not whether or not the community supported this Sabis charter school.
Gov. Charlie Baker wants to lift the cap on charter schools. The reason he states in published articles and handouts are 37,000 applications. The BESE also approved another Sabis charter in Springfield and an expansion of charter schools in Boston and Everett.
The mission of for-profit charter schools is to raise test scores. They teach to the test, changing the whole purpose of education. People are beginning to realize the burden and expense of testing versus education of students. These schools take public funds and they do not report to the local communities or school committees although approved by the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education. This brings up the legality of public funds going to “private” Schools. Our governor wants to lift the cap on these schools.
The lines are being drawn between testing and educating. The testing industry wants to continue testing because of the profitability of selling these tests. The new test is called PARCC. Make no mistake this is a big business and profitable and for-profit charter schools are big business. They have not proven they can provide a better education and our governor wants to lift he cap on charter schools.
Our country is deeply divided on so many issues. Someone once suggested that keeping us divided is an important political tool. If we are busy attacking and blaming each other than we all fail to see the greater picture about who and what interests are trying to divide us. In Massachusetts, we have an issue that may just be starting to gain your attention. It is charter schools versus public schools. At least that is how it is feeling. Proponents of charter schools are making it an issue of one at the expense of the other.
The fight will be big as proponents are supported by very big money, coming from out of state, from organizations with names like Great Schools in Massachusetts, Families for Excellent Schools, Unify Boston. Sounds good. I thought it was good until I looked them up. Groups that support lifting the cap want to privatize education not revitalize it. As long as money leaves the schools, they are in danger. These groups will try to divide us. They will try to pit people who believe in not-for-profit charter schools and parents in for-profit charter schools against public schools. We all need to work together and look at the business interests that want to divide us.
Either way, for now the cons outweigh the pros. Keeping the charter school cap allows Massachusetts to look carefully at the current process and to see what is working and what is not. To fight for public education and not against it, continue to inform yourselves and educate friends and family in our area and across the state about this important issue. Again this raises questions about the legalities of use of public funds to support this for-profit education.
Call Gov. Baker’s office, your state representatives and also state Senate President Stan Rosenberg to express your opinion.
Annette Pfannebecker lives in South Deerfield.