ASU jumps into charter schools

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by David Safier
I find this to be a promising development. ASU has teamed with the Phoenix Elementary School District to create two charter schools "under the umbrella of a non-profit group called University Public Schools Inc." The focus is "on steering disadvantaged kids toward the university gates."

 If the schools are successful, everyone benefits. If their results are no better than other schools, we'll learn something about what works and what doesn't. Either way, the results will be studied and written about, adding to the literature on schooling.

A few points from the article. First, ASU isn't doing this on the cheap.

University officials have invested considerable resources in the new venture, including faculty time and expertise, back-office support and $2 million in seed money.

Second, they're treating their teachers like professionals who need time to plan and interact with one another.

Unlike in traditional public schools, the University Public Schools teachers will spend six weeks per year on professional development and 90 minutes per day for classroom planning. This extra time allows for classroom innovations.

Here's a fact check. The article says,

Arizona's charter schools are authorized by the state Board of Education but are run by each school's own governing board, usually consisting of parents, teachers and community members.

In fact, charters can be authorized by the DOE, the Charter School Board, or public school districts, which I believe includes universities. This isn't just nitpicking. Multiple authorizing agencies are cited in a recent Stanford study as one of the contributors to lower charter school test scores in certain states, Arizona among them. It makes sense. Multiple authorizers encourages charter shopping, which can allow weaker schools in the door.

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2 thoughts on “ASU jumps into charter schools”

  1. Ken DeRosa said it best at D-Ed Reckoning…

    “Today, Education Secretary Arne Duncan urged universities to get more involved in helping to improve under-performing schools, by forming partnerships with local school districts, establishing charter schools, and improving teacher education.

    There’s nothing I’d like to see more than Ed schools putting their crackpot theories on how best to teach children, manage a classroom, and run a school into practice under the unblinking eye of NCLB’s data collection scheme (the one saving grace of NCLB).

    The joy of being able to compare the performance of these Ed-school-run schools to other schools. Finally for the public to see that the emperor really has no clothes.”

    http://d-edreckoning.blogspot.com/2009/09/duncan-finally-gets-one-right.html

  2. I would like to see this level of interest and concern put into the public schools. Strengthening our public schools is the most important thing we can do to promote a sane and educated society. All the rest of this activity takes away from strengthening our public schools.

    Just my 2 cents!

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