Posted on by arotherham

School Choice Or School’s Choice?

Useful Fordham analysis of private schools and school choice, looking at some reasons for non-participation by private schools, and some commonly cited reasons that are not such a barrier.  But the admissions issue – privates are OK with many kinds of regulation but not open admissions – is a big one for a lot of people given that in any choice scheme we’re talking about public money. On the other hand (and less frequently discussed) there are plenty of public schools that have restricted admissions policies – including for academic merit. I tend to think that public rules should follow public dollars but it’s one of many complicated questions as choice becomes more common in American education.

5 Replies to “School Choice Or School’s Choice?”

  1. Why don’t you in the interest of transperancy disclose that you receive $185,000 from theWalton Foundation, according to Diane Ravitch. You are bought and paid for!

  4. – We all know about the Broad Foundation money that went to Global Education Advisors, NJ Education Commissioner Chris Cerf’s old firm. That money, like the Facebook money, was never supposed to go into the classrooms of Newark: it was used instead to bring in a raft of consultants to remake the city’s schools. Many of the folks hired knew nothing about education, producing a bunch of “hack junk.”

    So while we’ve talked quite a bit about Cerf and GEA, there has been less focus on the relationship between Tusk and Cerf:
    The second biggest recipient of the Facebook money is Tusk Strategies, a New York political consulting firm that managed Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s 2009 re-election campaign. Cerf left his post as a deputy education chancellor in Bloomberg’s administration to serve on the campaign.
    Calls to Tusk were not returned, but according to founder Bradley Tusk’s online biography, the group was responsible for creating and advising PENewark, the heavily-criticized campaign to gather public input on the school reform effort in Newark.
    When PENewark first began its work last November, Booker said only $1 million would be spent on the effort — roughly $500,000 for salaries and $500,000 for advertising. Tusk was paid more than $1.5 million between October 2010 and April 2011, according to the e-mails. Taylor said Wednesday the cost of the PENewark initiative was $2 million.

    http://jerseyjazzman.blogspot.com/2013/01/more-newark-facebook-follies.html

  5. “Hidden in plain sight:”

    It doesn’t matter, Andrew. I think we all know how business gets done. No one should be surprised at all about the results of the Fordham study. What IS surprising, to me at least, is how private schools have been able to get away with murder in this age of accountability.

    They can say, or do, or testify that whatever they do is whatever they think reality is for them. And yet, somehow, the rest of us are supposed to rank and sort private schools and public schools (of various denominations) equally. I see. Nice system you got there, private schools. Hide behind First Amendment coattails if you must. I get that. But for the love of your God Almighty, please play fair.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.