Archived Articles
Illinois Cultural News
(Articles appear from the newest to the oldest. To read the articles in the time line in which they were posted, scroll down to find the oldest in the tread and read upwards from oldest to newest.)
Illinois Cultural News
(Articles appear from the newest to the oldest. To read the articles in the time line in which they were posted, scroll down to find the oldest in the tread and read upwards from oldest to newest.)
"Transferring Parental Control of Children to Teachers"
by Joyce Geiler
In her various teachings, Dr. Patti Amsden has explained the problems with social engineering. Agenda 21 is an example of these. In this article a brief history of Agenda 21 and the United States’ involvement will be given, followed by information on social engineering in the public-school system.
Agenda 21 is a non-binding, action plan of the United Nations with regard to sustainable development that includes the concepts of people, planet, prosperity, peace, and partnership. It is a product of the Earth Summit (UN Conference on Environment and Development) held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 1992. The "21" in Agenda 21 refers to the 21st Century. President George H. W. Bush was one of the 178 heads of government who signed the final text of the agreement at the Earth Summit. The United States is therefore a signatory country to Agenda 21, but because Agenda 21 is a legally non-binding statement of intent and not a treaty, the United States Senate did not hold a formal debate or vote on it. It is therefore not considered to be law under Article Six of the United States Constitution. However, the United States has one of the most comprehensively documented Agenda 21 status reports.
Learn more here.
Agenda 21 is intended to be implemented locally. In the United States, over 528 cities are members of the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI), an international sustainability organization that helps to implement the Agenda 21 and Local Agenda 21 concepts across the world. The United States has nearly half of the ICLEI's global membership of 1,200 cities promoting sustainable development at a local level. Illinois cities listed as members are Urbana, La Grange Park and Park Forrest. ICLEI USA’s Executive Office is based in Washington, D.C. The only requirements for ICLEI membership are a self-defined commitment to climate protection and the payment of annual membership dues based on population size. http://www.iclei.org/iclei-members/iclei-members.html?memberlistABC=U&page=1
An article in the Illinois Review by Nancy Thorner & Bonnie O'Neil, “Social Engineering - Transferring Parental Control of Children to Teachers,” demonstrates that Agenda 21 is progressing in our nation. Read more here.
The authors state “Children in our public schools are being pummeled with political correctness. Specific assignments and class discussions are designed purposely to promote specific political viewpoints which may seriously oppose that of their parents. This new political correctness is carefully woven through textbooks and classroom assignment starting in Kindergarten and reaches its apex in college.” They feel that social engineering in our public schools is using guilt to indoctrinate an emphasis on group rather than individual thinking.
Although public information has been available on the environmental emphasis of Agenda 21, there has not been as much recognition that its educational curriculum, Common Core, is part of Agenda 21. Agenda 21 proposes an array of actions within the U.N.'s 1,000-page report and strategy for sustainable development, which are intended to be implemented by every person on Earth and which calls for specific changes in the activities of all people, especially those in the United States.
Priority 3 of Agenda 21 is "Foster Global Citizenship,” which is explained as follows: “The world faces global challenges, which require global solutions. These interconnected global challenges call for far-reaching changes in how we think and act for the dignity of fellow human beings. It is not enough for education to produce individuals who can read, write and count. Education must be transformative and bring shared values to life. It must cultivate an active care for the world and for those with whom we share it.” Accordingly, an emphasis on Social Justice is being taught in schools to foster the Global goal of Agenda 21.
Social Justice has become an integral part of how children are being taught to think and act as outlined in Common Core curriculum. The social justice promoted says the life must be fair for everyone and promotes guilt for those who by birth, education or work have attained anything more than average status. Social justice processes and projects activities that develop a mindset of concern for society's inequity in wealth, education, and privilege and it empowers students to effect change through awareness, advocacy, activism, and aid. It obscures rather than celebrates that fact that each of us is uniquely different.
Thorner and O'Neil suggest parents must investigate whether social engineering exists in their schools. They can discover this in various ways, without asking directly the teacher or authorities, most of whom are either unwilling or prohibited from answering. The following are suggestions for parents:
Is the school using Common Core material? If so, there is likely cause for concern.
Carefully check homework assignments for material you find unusual or different than you experienced.
Ask your young child if the teacher spends a great deal of time talking about harmony, fairness, and equality.
Common Core curriculum often consists of material that challenges children’s actions and beliefs, without concern if they conflict with their family’s opinions on such matters. The emphasis is on the World rather than our own country; and thus patriotism is not only under emphasized, it is often discouraged. Common Core material places an emphasis upon all that is global rather than American. It is a precursor to a one-world-government.
In summary, Agenda 21 and its Common Core are counterfeits of God’s plan for families and humanity. In God’s plan, individual worth is recognized in that we “are fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14) and in Jesus’ willingness to offer himself as sacrifice for every individual. The individual, as part of the family is given the mandate to have dominion over the earth. (Gen. 1: 26-28) Dominion in God’s economy is stewarding the earth for the benefit of all. It is not a despotic dominion. Mankind must learn to work together and train their children in godly principles, learn how the created order operates and exercise dominion with wisdom, as stewards who are carefully and reverently acting in responsible ways with what God has entrusted to us in the world.
by Joyce Geiler
In her various teachings, Dr. Patti Amsden has explained the problems with social engineering. Agenda 21 is an example of these. In this article a brief history of Agenda 21 and the United States’ involvement will be given, followed by information on social engineering in the public-school system.
Agenda 21 is a non-binding, action plan of the United Nations with regard to sustainable development that includes the concepts of people, planet, prosperity, peace, and partnership. It is a product of the Earth Summit (UN Conference on Environment and Development) held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 1992. The "21" in Agenda 21 refers to the 21st Century. President George H. W. Bush was one of the 178 heads of government who signed the final text of the agreement at the Earth Summit. The United States is therefore a signatory country to Agenda 21, but because Agenda 21 is a legally non-binding statement of intent and not a treaty, the United States Senate did not hold a formal debate or vote on it. It is therefore not considered to be law under Article Six of the United States Constitution. However, the United States has one of the most comprehensively documented Agenda 21 status reports.
Learn more here.
Agenda 21 is intended to be implemented locally. In the United States, over 528 cities are members of the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI), an international sustainability organization that helps to implement the Agenda 21 and Local Agenda 21 concepts across the world. The United States has nearly half of the ICLEI's global membership of 1,200 cities promoting sustainable development at a local level. Illinois cities listed as members are Urbana, La Grange Park and Park Forrest. ICLEI USA’s Executive Office is based in Washington, D.C. The only requirements for ICLEI membership are a self-defined commitment to climate protection and the payment of annual membership dues based on population size. http://www.iclei.org/iclei-members/iclei-members.html?memberlistABC=U&page=1
An article in the Illinois Review by Nancy Thorner & Bonnie O'Neil, “Social Engineering - Transferring Parental Control of Children to Teachers,” demonstrates that Agenda 21 is progressing in our nation. Read more here.
The authors state “Children in our public schools are being pummeled with political correctness. Specific assignments and class discussions are designed purposely to promote specific political viewpoints which may seriously oppose that of their parents. This new political correctness is carefully woven through textbooks and classroom assignment starting in Kindergarten and reaches its apex in college.” They feel that social engineering in our public schools is using guilt to indoctrinate an emphasis on group rather than individual thinking.
Although public information has been available on the environmental emphasis of Agenda 21, there has not been as much recognition that its educational curriculum, Common Core, is part of Agenda 21. Agenda 21 proposes an array of actions within the U.N.'s 1,000-page report and strategy for sustainable development, which are intended to be implemented by every person on Earth and which calls for specific changes in the activities of all people, especially those in the United States.
Priority 3 of Agenda 21 is "Foster Global Citizenship,” which is explained as follows: “The world faces global challenges, which require global solutions. These interconnected global challenges call for far-reaching changes in how we think and act for the dignity of fellow human beings. It is not enough for education to produce individuals who can read, write and count. Education must be transformative and bring shared values to life. It must cultivate an active care for the world and for those with whom we share it.” Accordingly, an emphasis on Social Justice is being taught in schools to foster the Global goal of Agenda 21.
Social Justice has become an integral part of how children are being taught to think and act as outlined in Common Core curriculum. The social justice promoted says the life must be fair for everyone and promotes guilt for those who by birth, education or work have attained anything more than average status. Social justice processes and projects activities that develop a mindset of concern for society's inequity in wealth, education, and privilege and it empowers students to effect change through awareness, advocacy, activism, and aid. It obscures rather than celebrates that fact that each of us is uniquely different.
Thorner and O'Neil suggest parents must investigate whether social engineering exists in their schools. They can discover this in various ways, without asking directly the teacher or authorities, most of whom are either unwilling or prohibited from answering. The following are suggestions for parents:
Is the school using Common Core material? If so, there is likely cause for concern.
Carefully check homework assignments for material you find unusual or different than you experienced.
Ask your young child if the teacher spends a great deal of time talking about harmony, fairness, and equality.
Common Core curriculum often consists of material that challenges children’s actions and beliefs, without concern if they conflict with their family’s opinions on such matters. The emphasis is on the World rather than our own country; and thus patriotism is not only under emphasized, it is often discouraged. Common Core material places an emphasis upon all that is global rather than American. It is a precursor to a one-world-government.
In summary, Agenda 21 and its Common Core are counterfeits of God’s plan for families and humanity. In God’s plan, individual worth is recognized in that we “are fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14) and in Jesus’ willingness to offer himself as sacrifice for every individual. The individual, as part of the family is given the mandate to have dominion over the earth. (Gen. 1: 26-28) Dominion in God’s economy is stewarding the earth for the benefit of all. It is not a despotic dominion. Mankind must learn to work together and train their children in godly principles, learn how the created order operates and exercise dominion with wisdom, as stewards who are carefully and reverently acting in responsible ways with what God has entrusted to us in the world.
Education: Home Schools by Joyce Geiler
Illinois is known in the home schooling community as a friendly place where there are practically zero restrictions or regulations on homeschooling families as long as learning occurs in English. Ian Slatter of the Virginia-based Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) said 30,000 to 40,000 children in Illinois attend home schools, but he admits his estimate is pure guesswork. In fact, Illinois Regional Office of Education superintendents report that as soon as they know a family is home schooling, they will simply back off. With a strong belief in less government and more freedom to educate in the way they see fit, well-organized home school families will rally if they sense their Illinois freedoms are going to be challenged in any way.
The strength of home school organizations is in Illinois is illustrated in the following example: Immunizations are required for children attending public school. All others can decide for themselves whether or not to become immunized to known diseases such as polio, hepatitis, pertussis, diphtheria, tetanus, measles and more. Former state legislator Ricca Slone (D-92, Peoria) proposed legislation in the late ’90s that would require all Illinois children to be immunized and included home school children in the legislation’s language. Slone said home school and private school families “hit the roof,” and she withdrew the legislation.
The climate for home schooling has undergone a dramatic shift. In the 1840s, compulsory education laws took root in the United States making it illegal to keep children home from school except in special cases, such as for child actors, and then it was highly regulated. In a 1950 decision of the Illinois Supreme Court, People v. Levisen, the Court held that homeschooling could be considered private schooling if the teacher were competent, the required subjects were taught, and the student received an education at least equivalent to public schooling. During the 1980s, massive political pressure was applied by religious parents and their lobbyists. Over the course of the last 30 years home schooling has gone from illegal (meaning criminal) in all 50 states, to fully legal, and from heavily regulated, when allowed, to either completely unregulated or only lightly regulated, everywhere. Robin L. West, a Georgetown University law professor says that’s quite a revolution in law and education both.
Most home schooling is conducted for religious reasons, although secular rationales are on the rise. In 2003, the National Center for Education Statistics said concerns “about the school environment (e.g., safety, drugs or negative peer pressure)” were cited by 84 percent of home schooling parents. Religious reasons were a fairly close second at 72 percent. Learn more here.
According to the Illinois State Board of Education, home-schooling in Illinois is considered to be a form of private education. Parents who choose to educate their children at home are under a legal obligation to meet the minimum the requirements stated in Illinois’ Compulsory Attendance Law (Section 26-1 of the Illinois School Code). Parents who choose to educate their children at home are obligated to teach in English “…the branches of education taught to children of corresponding age and grade in the public schools.” These branches of education include language arts; mathematics; biological and physical sciences; social sciences; fine arts; and physical development and health.
Parents who permit a child to attend a home school that is up to the standard of Section 26-1, as interpreted by Levisen, are free to decide the manner, time and materials which best suit the learning needs of their children. Parents may determine what type of home-schooling curriculum is best for their students, what materials to use, how much homework to assign, how homework is to be assessed, and what records of the student’s accomplishments should be kept. Testing is not required in the state of Illinois for homeschoolers but there are private testing resources if parents choose to have their children evaluated. Parents who choose to educate their students in the home through the high school years may determine when their student has met the graduation requirements of their private home school and is therefore entitled to receive a high school diploma.
While the law affords Illinois parents a great degree of latitude in designing and/or choosing a program of home education that best meets the needs of their children, it also has the effect of placing near-total responsibility on parents for their student’s education while they are being homeschooled. In a 1974 decision, a federal district court stated that under Illinois law the burden of proof rests with parents to establish that the plan of home instruction which they are providing to their children meets state requirements.
While home schools in Illinois are not routinely investigated, the regional superintendent of schools for the student’s county of residence has first-line responsibility for investigating reports of noncompliance with the compulsory attendance laws found in Illinois’ Compulsory Attendance Law. In fulfilling this legal responsibility, the regional superintendent may request the regional or school district truant officer to investigate to see that the child is in compliance with the compulsory attendance law. Truant officers are peace officers empowered to conduct investigations, enforce the compulsory attendance law and to refer matters of noncompliance to the courts. A parent who allows a child to attend a home school that does not comply with the Compulsory Attendance Law, as interpreted by Levisen, allows the child to be truant and can be found to have committed a Class C misdemeanor.
More information can be obtained here.
An on-line search for homeschool support reveals a number of organizations available in Illinois, including Christian, secular and Muslim groups; groups for legal support, groups for socialization and groups for curriculum help; groups fostering sports, arts and specific subjects; local support groups and statewide support groups.
One such group is the Home School Legal Defense Association, which was founded in 1983 when homeschooling was just a tiny blip on the educational radar screen. The age-old concept of parents teaching their children at home had fallen into obscurity. Families who chose such a nontraditional education route often encountered opposition, sometimes even legal challenges, from the educational bureaucracy as well as from their own friends and relatives.
The HSLDA states their mission is to preserve and advance the fundamental, God-given, constitutional right of parents and others legally responsible for their children to direct their education. In so doing, they rely on two fundamental freedoms—parental rights and religious freedom. They advocate for those freedoms in the courtrooms, before government officials, and in the public arena. Additionally, they assist other educational organizations in similar activities, where possible and appropriate. http://www.hslda.org/about/
Anecdotal evidence is generally positive regarding home schooled children. Advantages include one-on-one teaching, freedom to travel, more opportunities to integrate learning into daily life, taking advantage of a child’s natural interests and teaching learning for learning’s sake. Stories of homeschool's success in preparing children for higher education and careers abound.
Because there are no accurate statistics on home schools, and because the home school situation is not a true cross section of children compared to public and private schools and because each homeschool is somewhat unique, it's impossible to say statistically how home school education compares with other types of education. In the next article, education from a biblical perspective will be presented.
Illinois is known in the home schooling community as a friendly place where there are practically zero restrictions or regulations on homeschooling families as long as learning occurs in English. Ian Slatter of the Virginia-based Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) said 30,000 to 40,000 children in Illinois attend home schools, but he admits his estimate is pure guesswork. In fact, Illinois Regional Office of Education superintendents report that as soon as they know a family is home schooling, they will simply back off. With a strong belief in less government and more freedom to educate in the way they see fit, well-organized home school families will rally if they sense their Illinois freedoms are going to be challenged in any way.
The strength of home school organizations is in Illinois is illustrated in the following example: Immunizations are required for children attending public school. All others can decide for themselves whether or not to become immunized to known diseases such as polio, hepatitis, pertussis, diphtheria, tetanus, measles and more. Former state legislator Ricca Slone (D-92, Peoria) proposed legislation in the late ’90s that would require all Illinois children to be immunized and included home school children in the legislation’s language. Slone said home school and private school families “hit the roof,” and she withdrew the legislation.
The climate for home schooling has undergone a dramatic shift. In the 1840s, compulsory education laws took root in the United States making it illegal to keep children home from school except in special cases, such as for child actors, and then it was highly regulated. In a 1950 decision of the Illinois Supreme Court, People v. Levisen, the Court held that homeschooling could be considered private schooling if the teacher were competent, the required subjects were taught, and the student received an education at least equivalent to public schooling. During the 1980s, massive political pressure was applied by religious parents and their lobbyists. Over the course of the last 30 years home schooling has gone from illegal (meaning criminal) in all 50 states, to fully legal, and from heavily regulated, when allowed, to either completely unregulated or only lightly regulated, everywhere. Robin L. West, a Georgetown University law professor says that’s quite a revolution in law and education both.
Most home schooling is conducted for religious reasons, although secular rationales are on the rise. In 2003, the National Center for Education Statistics said concerns “about the school environment (e.g., safety, drugs or negative peer pressure)” were cited by 84 percent of home schooling parents. Religious reasons were a fairly close second at 72 percent. Learn more here.
According to the Illinois State Board of Education, home-schooling in Illinois is considered to be a form of private education. Parents who choose to educate their children at home are under a legal obligation to meet the minimum the requirements stated in Illinois’ Compulsory Attendance Law (Section 26-1 of the Illinois School Code). Parents who choose to educate their children at home are obligated to teach in English “…the branches of education taught to children of corresponding age and grade in the public schools.” These branches of education include language arts; mathematics; biological and physical sciences; social sciences; fine arts; and physical development and health.
Parents who permit a child to attend a home school that is up to the standard of Section 26-1, as interpreted by Levisen, are free to decide the manner, time and materials which best suit the learning needs of their children. Parents may determine what type of home-schooling curriculum is best for their students, what materials to use, how much homework to assign, how homework is to be assessed, and what records of the student’s accomplishments should be kept. Testing is not required in the state of Illinois for homeschoolers but there are private testing resources if parents choose to have their children evaluated. Parents who choose to educate their students in the home through the high school years may determine when their student has met the graduation requirements of their private home school and is therefore entitled to receive a high school diploma.
While the law affords Illinois parents a great degree of latitude in designing and/or choosing a program of home education that best meets the needs of their children, it also has the effect of placing near-total responsibility on parents for their student’s education while they are being homeschooled. In a 1974 decision, a federal district court stated that under Illinois law the burden of proof rests with parents to establish that the plan of home instruction which they are providing to their children meets state requirements.
While home schools in Illinois are not routinely investigated, the regional superintendent of schools for the student’s county of residence has first-line responsibility for investigating reports of noncompliance with the compulsory attendance laws found in Illinois’ Compulsory Attendance Law. In fulfilling this legal responsibility, the regional superintendent may request the regional or school district truant officer to investigate to see that the child is in compliance with the compulsory attendance law. Truant officers are peace officers empowered to conduct investigations, enforce the compulsory attendance law and to refer matters of noncompliance to the courts. A parent who allows a child to attend a home school that does not comply with the Compulsory Attendance Law, as interpreted by Levisen, allows the child to be truant and can be found to have committed a Class C misdemeanor.
More information can be obtained here.
An on-line search for homeschool support reveals a number of organizations available in Illinois, including Christian, secular and Muslim groups; groups for legal support, groups for socialization and groups for curriculum help; groups fostering sports, arts and specific subjects; local support groups and statewide support groups.
One such group is the Home School Legal Defense Association, which was founded in 1983 when homeschooling was just a tiny blip on the educational radar screen. The age-old concept of parents teaching their children at home had fallen into obscurity. Families who chose such a nontraditional education route often encountered opposition, sometimes even legal challenges, from the educational bureaucracy as well as from their own friends and relatives.
The HSLDA states their mission is to preserve and advance the fundamental, God-given, constitutional right of parents and others legally responsible for their children to direct their education. In so doing, they rely on two fundamental freedoms—parental rights and religious freedom. They advocate for those freedoms in the courtrooms, before government officials, and in the public arena. Additionally, they assist other educational organizations in similar activities, where possible and appropriate. http://www.hslda.org/about/
Anecdotal evidence is generally positive regarding home schooled children. Advantages include one-on-one teaching, freedom to travel, more opportunities to integrate learning into daily life, taking advantage of a child’s natural interests and teaching learning for learning’s sake. Stories of homeschool's success in preparing children for higher education and careers abound.
Because there are no accurate statistics on home schools, and because the home school situation is not a true cross section of children compared to public and private schools and because each homeschool is somewhat unique, it's impossible to say statistically how home school education compares with other types of education. In the next article, education from a biblical perspective will be presented.
Education: Private Schools by Joyce Geiler
Up to now public schools have been the focus of this series of articles. This week, non-public schools or private schools, including parochial schools are the focus. According the State Board of Education, a nonpublic school is ”any non-profit, non-home-based, and non-public elementary or secondary school that is in compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and attendance at which satisfies the requirements” of 105 ILCS 5/26-1 of the Code. Learn more here.
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects people from discrimination based on race, color or national origin in programs or activities that receive Federal financial assistance. The attendance requirements of the School Code are outlined by the Illinois Coalition of Non-public Schools, a coalition of non-public schools. Learn more here.
The ICNS monitors legislation affecting non-public schools at the local, state, and federal level, acts as a representative voice for 22 non-public school associations, and defends parental rights to select the best education for their child and a schools right to pursue the unique mission of its individual charter. http://www.icns.net/ Illinois law requires every school, whether public or no-npublic, to report immunization/health, eye, and dental examination data annually to the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE). See facts here.
According to the Private School Review, there are 1,809 private schools in Illinois, serving 289,954 students, roughly 12% of the school age population. More than half of the private schools (58%) are religiously affiliated (most commonly Roman Catholic and Christian). There are 25 all-girls schools, 24 all-boys schools, 170 Montessori schools, 1,258 preschools/day care schools, 108 special education schools, 41 alternative schools, and 1055 religiously affiliated schools and 59 Blue Ribbon schools. Blue Ribbon Schools have been recognized by the Department of Education for achieving superior standards of academic excellence. Almost all private Blue Ribbon Schools in Illinois are Catholic. Related data found here.
According to the Education Bug, the majority of students are white (176,527), with the 31% minority composed of 30,964 Black students, 24,578 Hispanic students and the remaining 8,884 other minorities. Education Bug lists the average private school tuition in Illinois as $5,757 for elementary schools and $10,608 for high schools. The national average private school tuition is approximately $9,582 per year. Nationally the private elementary school average is $8,522 per year and the private high school average is $12,953 per year. GreatSchools.org states that most private schools depend on their own funding, which may come from parents through tuition, grants, donations, and endowments. Private schools also often actively seek money from alumni, businesses, and community organizations. If the school is associated with a religious group, as is the case with Catholic parochial schools, the religious organization — like the Catholic Church — may be an important source of funding as well. See what greatschools.org has to say.
Catholic schools are less expensive than most independent private schools. The average Catholic school costs about $3,700 a year for elementary and $8,200 for high school, according to the National Catholic Educational Association.
Enacted in 1999, the Illinois Tax Credits for Educational Expenses Program allows parents to claim a maximum $500 tax credit for educational expenses, not tuition. In order to qualify for the full $500 tax credit, parents must spend at least $2,250 on educational expenses. In 2013, 302,855 taxpayers received the tax credit, the average value of which was $271. Read more at ballotpedia.org A school voucher bill that would have allocated $4000 vouchers for schools in the Chicago Public School district passed the Senate but not the House in 2010, so Illinois private schools do not have vouchers as a revenue source.
Reasons parents choose private schools vary. Because they’re autonomous, private schools are free to offer religious education or curriculum not regulated by state standards. Most private schools are accredited, although some good private schools are not. The average student: teacher ratio in private schools is 13:1.
For many parents, a faith-based education matters. Since teaching religion in a non-secular context in public schools is banned, these parents may opt for a private school with a religious component. Catholic, Jewish, and Christian schools can embrace faith-based education in their curriculum and other activities. Many go beyond academics and require daily attendance at a chapel, synagogue, or temple.
Kids of non-religious families also attend religious schools. For instance, the number of non-Catholic students attending Catholic schools has risen from 2.7 percent in 1970 to 15.4 percent by 2015, according to the National Catholic Educational Association.
Other considerations regarding private schools include the fact that private schools are not required to accept every child and often require extensive applications that involve multiple interviews, essays, and testing. Private schools can be extremely selective. Not only can they choose students based on their academic achievement but also their ethnicity, gender, and religion, as well as the special attributes (or assets) of their parents. The national average private school acceptance rate is approximately 85% per year while the average acceptance rate at public schools is 92%.
Many private schools do not have special education programs or teachers trained to work with special learning disabilities (unless they are a private school created with such a population in mind). Some private schools will try to help all the students they admit, but extra resources may come at an additional cost. Teachers in private schools may not be required to have certification. Instead, they often have subject-area expertise and an undergraduate or graduate degree in the subject they teach.
Home Schools in Illinois will be the subject of the next article on education.
Up to now public schools have been the focus of this series of articles. This week, non-public schools or private schools, including parochial schools are the focus. According the State Board of Education, a nonpublic school is ”any non-profit, non-home-based, and non-public elementary or secondary school that is in compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and attendance at which satisfies the requirements” of 105 ILCS 5/26-1 of the Code. Learn more here.
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects people from discrimination based on race, color or national origin in programs or activities that receive Federal financial assistance. The attendance requirements of the School Code are outlined by the Illinois Coalition of Non-public Schools, a coalition of non-public schools. Learn more here.
The ICNS monitors legislation affecting non-public schools at the local, state, and federal level, acts as a representative voice for 22 non-public school associations, and defends parental rights to select the best education for their child and a schools right to pursue the unique mission of its individual charter. http://www.icns.net/ Illinois law requires every school, whether public or no-npublic, to report immunization/health, eye, and dental examination data annually to the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE). See facts here.
According to the Private School Review, there are 1,809 private schools in Illinois, serving 289,954 students, roughly 12% of the school age population. More than half of the private schools (58%) are religiously affiliated (most commonly Roman Catholic and Christian). There are 25 all-girls schools, 24 all-boys schools, 170 Montessori schools, 1,258 preschools/day care schools, 108 special education schools, 41 alternative schools, and 1055 religiously affiliated schools and 59 Blue Ribbon schools. Blue Ribbon Schools have been recognized by the Department of Education for achieving superior standards of academic excellence. Almost all private Blue Ribbon Schools in Illinois are Catholic. Related data found here.
According to the Education Bug, the majority of students are white (176,527), with the 31% minority composed of 30,964 Black students, 24,578 Hispanic students and the remaining 8,884 other minorities. Education Bug lists the average private school tuition in Illinois as $5,757 for elementary schools and $10,608 for high schools. The national average private school tuition is approximately $9,582 per year. Nationally the private elementary school average is $8,522 per year and the private high school average is $12,953 per year. GreatSchools.org states that most private schools depend on their own funding, which may come from parents through tuition, grants, donations, and endowments. Private schools also often actively seek money from alumni, businesses, and community organizations. If the school is associated with a religious group, as is the case with Catholic parochial schools, the religious organization — like the Catholic Church — may be an important source of funding as well. See what greatschools.org has to say.
Catholic schools are less expensive than most independent private schools. The average Catholic school costs about $3,700 a year for elementary and $8,200 for high school, according to the National Catholic Educational Association.
Enacted in 1999, the Illinois Tax Credits for Educational Expenses Program allows parents to claim a maximum $500 tax credit for educational expenses, not tuition. In order to qualify for the full $500 tax credit, parents must spend at least $2,250 on educational expenses. In 2013, 302,855 taxpayers received the tax credit, the average value of which was $271. Read more at ballotpedia.org A school voucher bill that would have allocated $4000 vouchers for schools in the Chicago Public School district passed the Senate but not the House in 2010, so Illinois private schools do not have vouchers as a revenue source.
Reasons parents choose private schools vary. Because they’re autonomous, private schools are free to offer religious education or curriculum not regulated by state standards. Most private schools are accredited, although some good private schools are not. The average student: teacher ratio in private schools is 13:1.
For many parents, a faith-based education matters. Since teaching religion in a non-secular context in public schools is banned, these parents may opt for a private school with a religious component. Catholic, Jewish, and Christian schools can embrace faith-based education in their curriculum and other activities. Many go beyond academics and require daily attendance at a chapel, synagogue, or temple.
Kids of non-religious families also attend religious schools. For instance, the number of non-Catholic students attending Catholic schools has risen from 2.7 percent in 1970 to 15.4 percent by 2015, according to the National Catholic Educational Association.
Other considerations regarding private schools include the fact that private schools are not required to accept every child and often require extensive applications that involve multiple interviews, essays, and testing. Private schools can be extremely selective. Not only can they choose students based on their academic achievement but also their ethnicity, gender, and religion, as well as the special attributes (or assets) of their parents. The national average private school acceptance rate is approximately 85% per year while the average acceptance rate at public schools is 92%.
Many private schools do not have special education programs or teachers trained to work with special learning disabilities (unless they are a private school created with such a population in mind). Some private schools will try to help all the students they admit, but extra resources may come at an additional cost. Teachers in private schools may not be required to have certification. Instead, they often have subject-area expertise and an undergraduate or graduate degree in the subject they teach.
Home Schools in Illinois will be the subject of the next article on education.
Education: Magnet Schools by Joyce Geiler
Recent articles have discussed public schools and charter schools in Illinois. This article will focus on magnet schools. There are 105 public magnet schools in Illinois serving 74,206 students. The distribution includes 31 pre-K, 80 elementary, 7 middle and 18 high schools. Magnet schools are an urban phenomenon with most located in Northeastern Illinois and a few in the Decatur/Springfield area.
Read more here.
Examination of the history of magnet schools explains their location. Magnet schools first came into being in the late 1960s and early 1970s as a tool to further academic desegregation in large urban school districts. Magnets were intended to attract students from across different school zones. To accomplish this, magnet schools had to do two things. First, they had to open their enrollment to students outside their traditional school zones. Second, they had to provide an environment or experience that would attract students and families from other school zones. By encouraging enrollment rather than forcing enrollment, the hope was that families would voluntarily desegregate their children in lieu of being forcibly desegregated through busing. For comparison, in regular public schools students are zoned into (assigned) to schools based on where they live.
Today, many magnet schools still help increase diversity within the public school system. But over the last 20 years, some magnet schools have taken on a more competitive role in education in that they can only admit 10-20 percent of the students that apply to their school. The current role of magnet schools, therefore, is to promote academic opportunity and excellence beyond that which is offered at their regular public school counterparts. Magnet schools often attract “gifted” students who score well on tests and receive good grades. Approximately one-third of all magnet schools use academic performance as selection criteria to decide who will be invited to enroll for that year.
Magnet schools operate under the public school system and operate under the same administration and school board. According to the Magnet Schools of America, the unique quality of a magnet school is that they usually have a special curricular focus. Common themes include STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math), the arts, and vocational or career paths. While schools may have a general theme, students still study a complete range of subjects. Each subject is aligned to local, state or national standards of learning (i.e. Common Core), but each subject is taught within the school’s theme. More often than not, magnet schools involve hands on learning that is inquiry and performance based.
Another distinguishing characteristic of magnet schools is that they usually have alternative or otherwise compelling modes of instruction. For example, there are many Montessori magnet schools throughout the country. A Montessori school is based on a model of education that views children as naturally curious and eager to learn and that builds on that model to create learning environments in which children are active members of the educational process.
Magnet schools also differ from other public schools in that they receive additional funding to enable them to spend more money on their students, supplies, teachers, and educational programs. Districts finance magnet schools the same way they finance other public schools, however, on average, magnet schools spend about $200 more per student than non-magnet schools. Some magnet schools receive state desegregation funds as well. In 2013, the U.S. Department of Education earmarked nearly $90 million in special grants to magnet schools throughout the country in order to increase access to their programs by local families. By increasing school choice, parents have the added option of sending their child to a school with a unique educational philosophy or focus. Additionally, the funding is intended to attract a more diverse student body to magnet schools.
In Illinois, minority enrollment is 75% of the student body, the majority of which are Hispanic. That is more than the Illinois state average of 50% minority students. The student:teacher ratio of 17:1 is less than the state average of 18:1.
Summarizing, magnet schools have three distinguishing characteristics: distinctive curriculum and/or instructional approach, a diverse student body that represent various neighborhood attendance zones, and purposeful representation of diversity. Because of these unique qualities, enrollment in magnet schools has steadily increased over the years.
While magnet schools are more racially balanced than their traditional counterparts, other imbalances may develop. Magnet schools are less likely to have the same socioeconomic status mix that the regular public schools have. For instance, fewer magnet school students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch programs. Students in a magnet school will more likely live in two-parent households with employed parents who have college or graduate degrees when compared to students who don’t attend magnet schools. These findings apply to students regardless of their race. In general, the focus on increasing diversity as the core purpose of a magnet school has been replaced by the purpose to improve academic achievement.
Critics of magnet schools focus on the inequity of the magnet school in general, particularly with regard to how magnet schools often “hurt” neighboring public schools by taking away their brightest students. Because the best and brightest students would naturally be attracted to magnet schools, the argument goes that their exodus leaves the public zoned school academically disadvantaged. Some are also quick to point out how selection processes will often keep children out who could benefit from a magnet school experience. Low-income, non-native English speaking students and students with special needs can be underrepresented in magnet schools. The selective admission criteria of magnet schools often acts as a hurdle for students with failing grades or records of bad behavior or truancy who want to attend these schools. Hence, magnet schools may not really be open to all students who need them. Critics also maintain that magnet schools draw resources from regular school programs and that magnets unfairly receive extra funds to operate. One does have to wonder how valid these criticisms are when considering there are only 105 magnet schools compared to 4397 public schools in Illinois and 74,206 magnet school students compared to 2,083,097 public school students.
Read more here. Future issues will consider private/parochial schooling and home schooling in Illinois. Finally, the various methods of schooling will be compared with a biblical worldview of schooling.
Recent articles have discussed public schools and charter schools in Illinois. This article will focus on magnet schools. There are 105 public magnet schools in Illinois serving 74,206 students. The distribution includes 31 pre-K, 80 elementary, 7 middle and 18 high schools. Magnet schools are an urban phenomenon with most located in Northeastern Illinois and a few in the Decatur/Springfield area.
Read more here.
Examination of the history of magnet schools explains their location. Magnet schools first came into being in the late 1960s and early 1970s as a tool to further academic desegregation in large urban school districts. Magnets were intended to attract students from across different school zones. To accomplish this, magnet schools had to do two things. First, they had to open their enrollment to students outside their traditional school zones. Second, they had to provide an environment or experience that would attract students and families from other school zones. By encouraging enrollment rather than forcing enrollment, the hope was that families would voluntarily desegregate their children in lieu of being forcibly desegregated through busing. For comparison, in regular public schools students are zoned into (assigned) to schools based on where they live.
Today, many magnet schools still help increase diversity within the public school system. But over the last 20 years, some magnet schools have taken on a more competitive role in education in that they can only admit 10-20 percent of the students that apply to their school. The current role of magnet schools, therefore, is to promote academic opportunity and excellence beyond that which is offered at their regular public school counterparts. Magnet schools often attract “gifted” students who score well on tests and receive good grades. Approximately one-third of all magnet schools use academic performance as selection criteria to decide who will be invited to enroll for that year.
Magnet schools operate under the public school system and operate under the same administration and school board. According to the Magnet Schools of America, the unique quality of a magnet school is that they usually have a special curricular focus. Common themes include STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math), the arts, and vocational or career paths. While schools may have a general theme, students still study a complete range of subjects. Each subject is aligned to local, state or national standards of learning (i.e. Common Core), but each subject is taught within the school’s theme. More often than not, magnet schools involve hands on learning that is inquiry and performance based.
Another distinguishing characteristic of magnet schools is that they usually have alternative or otherwise compelling modes of instruction. For example, there are many Montessori magnet schools throughout the country. A Montessori school is based on a model of education that views children as naturally curious and eager to learn and that builds on that model to create learning environments in which children are active members of the educational process.
Magnet schools also differ from other public schools in that they receive additional funding to enable them to spend more money on their students, supplies, teachers, and educational programs. Districts finance magnet schools the same way they finance other public schools, however, on average, magnet schools spend about $200 more per student than non-magnet schools. Some magnet schools receive state desegregation funds as well. In 2013, the U.S. Department of Education earmarked nearly $90 million in special grants to magnet schools throughout the country in order to increase access to their programs by local families. By increasing school choice, parents have the added option of sending their child to a school with a unique educational philosophy or focus. Additionally, the funding is intended to attract a more diverse student body to magnet schools.
In Illinois, minority enrollment is 75% of the student body, the majority of which are Hispanic. That is more than the Illinois state average of 50% minority students. The student:teacher ratio of 17:1 is less than the state average of 18:1.
Summarizing, magnet schools have three distinguishing characteristics: distinctive curriculum and/or instructional approach, a diverse student body that represent various neighborhood attendance zones, and purposeful representation of diversity. Because of these unique qualities, enrollment in magnet schools has steadily increased over the years.
While magnet schools are more racially balanced than their traditional counterparts, other imbalances may develop. Magnet schools are less likely to have the same socioeconomic status mix that the regular public schools have. For instance, fewer magnet school students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch programs. Students in a magnet school will more likely live in two-parent households with employed parents who have college or graduate degrees when compared to students who don’t attend magnet schools. These findings apply to students regardless of their race. In general, the focus on increasing diversity as the core purpose of a magnet school has been replaced by the purpose to improve academic achievement.
Critics of magnet schools focus on the inequity of the magnet school in general, particularly with regard to how magnet schools often “hurt” neighboring public schools by taking away their brightest students. Because the best and brightest students would naturally be attracted to magnet schools, the argument goes that their exodus leaves the public zoned school academically disadvantaged. Some are also quick to point out how selection processes will often keep children out who could benefit from a magnet school experience. Low-income, non-native English speaking students and students with special needs can be underrepresented in magnet schools. The selective admission criteria of magnet schools often acts as a hurdle for students with failing grades or records of bad behavior or truancy who want to attend these schools. Hence, magnet schools may not really be open to all students who need them. Critics also maintain that magnet schools draw resources from regular school programs and that magnets unfairly receive extra funds to operate. One does have to wonder how valid these criticisms are when considering there are only 105 magnet schools compared to 4397 public schools in Illinois and 74,206 magnet school students compared to 2,083,097 public school students.
Read more here. Future issues will consider private/parochial schooling and home schooling in Illinois. Finally, the various methods of schooling will be compared with a biblical worldview of schooling.
Education: Charter Schools, Part 2 by Joyce Geiler
In 2014, there were 148 charter schools in Illinois, mostly in Chicago and Rockford. Charter Schools are in the news frequently these days because of the competition for funding between charter schools and traditional public schools, especially in the Chicago Public School district. In part 1 of this article about charter schools, the unique role charter schools can play in the education system was explored. This article will review the history of charter schools and explore the question of whether charter schools are, in reality, public schools.
The visionaries of the charter school idea—Raymond Budde of the University of Massachusetts and Albert Shanker of the American Federation of Teachers—never intended that charter schools would compete with public schools. Budde saw charters as a way to reorganize public school districts and to provide more freedom for teachers. He envisioned teams of teachers asking for a charter for three to five years, during which time they would operate with full autonomy over curriculum and instruction, with no interference from the superintendent or the principal.
Shanker thought that charter schools should be created by teams of teachers who would explore new ways to reach unmotivated students. He envisioned charter schools as self-governing, as schools that encouraged faculty decision making and participatory governance. He imagined schools that taught by coaching rather than lecturing, that strived for creativity and problem-solving rather than mastery of standardized tests or regurgitation of facts. He never thought of charters as non-union schools where teachers would work 70-hour weeks and be subject to dismissal based on the scores of their students.
Today, charter schools are very far from the original vision of Budde and Shanker.
Few charter schools today are run by teams of teachers. Most are managed by for-profit corporations or by nonprofit corporations with private boards of directors. The charter reflects the aims of the corporation, not the aims of its teachers. Most charters are non-union and rely on young teachers who work long hours and leave after a few years, thus keeping costs low. Many have high executive compensation. Charters have a high rate of teacher and principal turnover. Clearly, charters do not belong to the professionals who work in them, but to the corporation and its directors, who hold the charter.
The debate: Are Charter Schools Public Schools?
Are charter schools public schools? They say they are. But what has become apparent is that they are public when it comes to collecting tax money but not in most other respects. In New York State, the charters went to court to fight audits by the state comptroller. They argued that they are nonprofit educational institutions not public agencies. They said that only their authorizers, not public officials, had the power to audit them. The state law was amended to give the comptroller the authority to audit their use of public monies.
In Chicago and in Philadelphia, charter schools fought efforts by their teachers to unionize on grounds that they were not public schools and thus were not subject to state labor laws. The charter school in Chicago argued in court that it was a private school, not a public school, and thus not subject to the same laws as public schools.
The U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that a charter school in Arizona was a private nonprofit corporation, not a state agency, when it was sued by an employee who had been discharged. In this case, a federal court agreed with the charter schools are not public schools when it comes to the rights of their employees.
Bruce Baker at Rutgers University, who has written thoughtfully about charters, recently considered whether charters are public or private or neither. Charters, he points out, can limit their total enrollment; can admit students only on an annual basis and can choose to not accept any student mid-year. They can set academic, behavior, and cultural standards that promote exclusion of students via attrition. Baker writes: "Imagine a community park, for example, that is paid for with tax dollars collected by all taxpayers in the community, and managed by a private board of directors. That board has determined that the park may reasonably serve only 100 of the community's 1,000 residents. The amount of tax levied is adjusted for the park's capacity. To determine who gets to use the park annually, interested residents subscribe to a lottery, where 100 are chosen each year. Others continue to pay the tax whether chosen for park access or not. The park has a big fence around it, and only those granted access through the lottery may gain entrance. Imagine also that each of the 100 lottery winners must sign a code of conduct to be unilaterally enforced by the private manager of the park. That management firm can establish its own procedures (or essentially have none) for determining who has or has not abided by the code of conduct and revoke access privileges unilaterally."
Today, charters say that they are public when it suits their purpose (getting the same amount of money as public schools), and they say they are not really public when they want to escape the accountability and transparency that accompany the receipt of public funding. Some have a large budget to market their wares. Regular public schools have no money for marketing. Some use marketing to create demand so that they can get more charters.
Charters are typically more segregated than the district in which they are located. Some are all-black; some are Muslim-themed; some are centered on other specific cultural groups. Some charters are not for minorities or the poor. Wealthy parents in Los Altos, CA opened a charter for their children, which takes space and money away from the remaining public schools of the community. Parents at that charter school are expected to make a gift of $5,000 annually for each child.
The issue is complicated. Diane Ravitch of Education Week writes that she is concerned about the selectivity and attrition rates in many charters, which suggests that they pick and choose in ways that enable them to be competitive but lessens their publicness. There are other selective institutions within public education, but their selective nature is in the open.
Ms. Ravitch says she has met some thoughtful charter leaders who are trying to serve the needs of children rather than corporate sponsors, who do not skim the best and forget the rest, or who do not push out low-performing kids; but her sense is that they are not typical. What concerns her most is the possibility that policymakers are promoting dual school systems: a privileged group of schools called charters that can select their students and exclude the ones that are hardest to educate and the remaining schools composed of students who couldn't get into the charters or who got kicked out. Is it wise in the long run to create one set of schools that is free from regulation and a competing set of schools that is subject to ever tighter regulation.
Read more here.
In contrast to Ms Ravitch's somewhat negative outlook on charter schools, the Illinois Network of Charter Schools provides some specific positive information about Illinois charter schools. Special needs students make up 12 % of Illinois charter student bodies. Ten percent of Chicago's elementary students and 23% of Chicago's high school students are enrolled in charter schools. High percentages of Illinois students in charter schools exceeded comparison school performance in 2013 with 72% of elementary students exceeding on ISAT tests and 86% of students in high school exceeding on PSAE tests. African-American, Hispanic, low-income and special education students attending charter schools achieved higher ACT scores compared with their peers at other public schools.
More information is available at this link.
There is certainly more to the term “charter school” than is visible on the surface. Since most can agree that education of our children is a vital concern, future articles will continue to explore the education issue.
In 2014, there were 148 charter schools in Illinois, mostly in Chicago and Rockford. Charter Schools are in the news frequently these days because of the competition for funding between charter schools and traditional public schools, especially in the Chicago Public School district. In part 1 of this article about charter schools, the unique role charter schools can play in the education system was explored. This article will review the history of charter schools and explore the question of whether charter schools are, in reality, public schools.
The visionaries of the charter school idea—Raymond Budde of the University of Massachusetts and Albert Shanker of the American Federation of Teachers—never intended that charter schools would compete with public schools. Budde saw charters as a way to reorganize public school districts and to provide more freedom for teachers. He envisioned teams of teachers asking for a charter for three to five years, during which time they would operate with full autonomy over curriculum and instruction, with no interference from the superintendent or the principal.
Shanker thought that charter schools should be created by teams of teachers who would explore new ways to reach unmotivated students. He envisioned charter schools as self-governing, as schools that encouraged faculty decision making and participatory governance. He imagined schools that taught by coaching rather than lecturing, that strived for creativity and problem-solving rather than mastery of standardized tests or regurgitation of facts. He never thought of charters as non-union schools where teachers would work 70-hour weeks and be subject to dismissal based on the scores of their students.
Today, charter schools are very far from the original vision of Budde and Shanker.
Few charter schools today are run by teams of teachers. Most are managed by for-profit corporations or by nonprofit corporations with private boards of directors. The charter reflects the aims of the corporation, not the aims of its teachers. Most charters are non-union and rely on young teachers who work long hours and leave after a few years, thus keeping costs low. Many have high executive compensation. Charters have a high rate of teacher and principal turnover. Clearly, charters do not belong to the professionals who work in them, but to the corporation and its directors, who hold the charter.
The debate: Are Charter Schools Public Schools?
Are charter schools public schools? They say they are. But what has become apparent is that they are public when it comes to collecting tax money but not in most other respects. In New York State, the charters went to court to fight audits by the state comptroller. They argued that they are nonprofit educational institutions not public agencies. They said that only their authorizers, not public officials, had the power to audit them. The state law was amended to give the comptroller the authority to audit their use of public monies.
In Chicago and in Philadelphia, charter schools fought efforts by their teachers to unionize on grounds that they were not public schools and thus were not subject to state labor laws. The charter school in Chicago argued in court that it was a private school, not a public school, and thus not subject to the same laws as public schools.
The U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that a charter school in Arizona was a private nonprofit corporation, not a state agency, when it was sued by an employee who had been discharged. In this case, a federal court agreed with the charter schools are not public schools when it comes to the rights of their employees.
Bruce Baker at Rutgers University, who has written thoughtfully about charters, recently considered whether charters are public or private or neither. Charters, he points out, can limit their total enrollment; can admit students only on an annual basis and can choose to not accept any student mid-year. They can set academic, behavior, and cultural standards that promote exclusion of students via attrition. Baker writes: "Imagine a community park, for example, that is paid for with tax dollars collected by all taxpayers in the community, and managed by a private board of directors. That board has determined that the park may reasonably serve only 100 of the community's 1,000 residents. The amount of tax levied is adjusted for the park's capacity. To determine who gets to use the park annually, interested residents subscribe to a lottery, where 100 are chosen each year. Others continue to pay the tax whether chosen for park access or not. The park has a big fence around it, and only those granted access through the lottery may gain entrance. Imagine also that each of the 100 lottery winners must sign a code of conduct to be unilaterally enforced by the private manager of the park. That management firm can establish its own procedures (or essentially have none) for determining who has or has not abided by the code of conduct and revoke access privileges unilaterally."
Today, charters say that they are public when it suits their purpose (getting the same amount of money as public schools), and they say they are not really public when they want to escape the accountability and transparency that accompany the receipt of public funding. Some have a large budget to market their wares. Regular public schools have no money for marketing. Some use marketing to create demand so that they can get more charters.
Charters are typically more segregated than the district in which they are located. Some are all-black; some are Muslim-themed; some are centered on other specific cultural groups. Some charters are not for minorities or the poor. Wealthy parents in Los Altos, CA opened a charter for their children, which takes space and money away from the remaining public schools of the community. Parents at that charter school are expected to make a gift of $5,000 annually for each child.
The issue is complicated. Diane Ravitch of Education Week writes that she is concerned about the selectivity and attrition rates in many charters, which suggests that they pick and choose in ways that enable them to be competitive but lessens their publicness. There are other selective institutions within public education, but their selective nature is in the open.
Ms. Ravitch says she has met some thoughtful charter leaders who are trying to serve the needs of children rather than corporate sponsors, who do not skim the best and forget the rest, or who do not push out low-performing kids; but her sense is that they are not typical. What concerns her most is the possibility that policymakers are promoting dual school systems: a privileged group of schools called charters that can select their students and exclude the ones that are hardest to educate and the remaining schools composed of students who couldn't get into the charters or who got kicked out. Is it wise in the long run to create one set of schools that is free from regulation and a competing set of schools that is subject to ever tighter regulation.
Read more here.
In contrast to Ms Ravitch's somewhat negative outlook on charter schools, the Illinois Network of Charter Schools provides some specific positive information about Illinois charter schools. Special needs students make up 12 % of Illinois charter student bodies. Ten percent of Chicago's elementary students and 23% of Chicago's high school students are enrolled in charter schools. High percentages of Illinois students in charter schools exceeded comparison school performance in 2013 with 72% of elementary students exceeding on ISAT tests and 86% of students in high school exceeding on PSAE tests. African-American, Hispanic, low-income and special education students attending charter schools achieved higher ACT scores compared with their peers at other public schools.
More information is available at this link.
There is certainly more to the term “charter school” than is visible on the surface. Since most can agree that education of our children is a vital concern, future articles will continue to explore the education issue.
Education: Charter Schools, Part 1
by Joyce Geiler
The Galapagos Charter School, a small stand-alone elementary school in Humboldt Park, will not reopen its doors in September, saying it cannot afford to properly educate children under current Chicago Public School budget conditions. Thursday was the final day of school ever for Galapagos. CEO Michael Lane says this affects families and about 30 permanent staffers and that all were warned more than a month ago of the possibility that the school might close so they could consider new options. That’s when Chicago Public Schools warned of possible cuts of about 40 percent to per-pupil funding over last year’s allocation if the district couldn’t finagle financial help from the state to make a $676 million pension payment.
Galapagos leaders ran a number of scenarios and decided that even with 10 percent cuts; vital supports to students would have to go: extra tutoring, counselors and social workers. Finally, they couldn’t put off the decision any longer. Without any budget from CPS and without any certainty about what funding levels will look like, the school couldn’t continue.
Galapagos’ operating charter had two more years on it. The school was on CPS’ academic warning list, having earned CPS’ second-to-lowest rating; but Lane said that had nothing to do with the decision.
“This is a reflection on our leaders, our political leaders and their inability to put forth a reasonable budget that provides services to the people of Illinois,” Lane said. “There are very few organizations, private or public, that could survive the possibility of a 37 percent cut across the board in their revenues.” Galapagos lost more than 25 percent of its students this year after being placed on the warning list, as parents sought better options for their children.
CPS blamed the governor. “As long as Gov. (Bruce) Rauner continues to double down on an education funding system that punishes the poorest students in the state, it will create even deeper uncertainty about CPS’ fiscal future,” district spokeswoman Emily Bittner said. “This is why we are working so closely with parents and school communities to demand that the state fully and equitable fund education for all Illinois students.”
Andrew Broy, who is the head of Illinois Network of Charter Schools had warned of the possibility of a few dozen charters closing if CPS went through with a total $700 million in cuts to per-pupil funding to schools. “We are getting closer to the July 15 first-quarter payment to charters. If they are not made, other charter schools will probably close. Galapagos, serving about 236 children, 97 percent of them poor, becomes the first in Chicago to fall victim to a budget impasse in Springfield.
Rather than focusing on Illinois' budget, this article will examine what charter schools are.
In North America a charter school is a publicly funded, independent school established by teachers, parents, or community groups under the terms of a charter with a local or national authority. Charter schools are unique public schools that are allowed the freedom to be more innovative while being held accountable for advancing student achievement. Because they are public schools, they are open to all children, do not charge tuition, and do not have special entrance requirements.
Charter schools were created to help improve our nation’s public school system and offer parents another public school option to better meet their child’s specific needs. The core of the charter school model is the belief that public schools should be held accountable for student learning. In exchange for this accountability, school leaders should be given freedom to do whatever it takes to help students achieve and should share what works with the broader public school system so that all students benefit.
In the early 1990s, a small group of educators and policymakers came together to develop the charter school model. Minnesota’s legislature passed the first charter law in 1991, and the first charter school opened in 1992. Charter schools are some of the top performing schools in the country as they raise the bar of what's possible in public education.
Charter schools foster a partnership between parents, teachers, and students. They create an environment in which parents can be more involved, teachers are allowed to innovate, and students are provided the structure they need to learn. Some specific examples of how charter schools are working to improve student achievement include:
1. Adjusting curriculum to meet student needs. A charter school can break up the day to provide students with more time on the core subjects they need most. Charter school teachers have a say in the curriculum they teach and can change materials to meet students’ needs.
2. Creating a unique school culture. Charter schools build upon the core academic subjects by creating a school culture or adopting a theme. For example, charter schools may focus on Science Technology Engineering or Math (STEM) education, performing arts, project-based learning, college preparation, career readiness, language immersion, civic engagement, classical education, global awareness, or meeting the needs of autistic students — just to name a few.
3. Developing next-generation learning models. Charter schools are rethinking the meaning of the word “classroom.” In Hawaii, students learn biology with the sky as their ceiling and the ocean as the classroom. Online schools, which don’t have a physical building, use technology to change the dynamics of the classroom. Other schools combine online classroom time with classroom time in a physical school building. In either case, students can learn from experts located anywhere in the world.
Read more here.
Practically speaking, charter schools offer an institutional hybrid. Like traditional public schools, charter schools are free and can’t discriminate against students because of their race, gender, or disability. However, parents must usually submit a separate application to enroll a child in a charter school, and like private schools, spaces are often limited. Charter schools are independently run, and some are operated by for-profit private companies.
However, charter schools are still funded by government coffers and accountable to the government body — be it state, county, or district — that provides the charter. Many successful charters do substantial additional fundraising as well. If a school is mismanaged or test scores are poor, a charter school can be shut down.
Charter schools can also be hard to get into if they are popular, and they may use a lottery system to fill any vacancies. Charter schools also may struggle with funding and typically receive less per pupil than traditional public schools. Many charter schools raise substantial amounts of money from private sources — for spending per pupil between charter schools can vary radically within a single city.
Follow this link to learn more.
Next issue will continue the discussion of charter schools, including their history.
by Joyce Geiler
The Galapagos Charter School, a small stand-alone elementary school in Humboldt Park, will not reopen its doors in September, saying it cannot afford to properly educate children under current Chicago Public School budget conditions. Thursday was the final day of school ever for Galapagos. CEO Michael Lane says this affects families and about 30 permanent staffers and that all were warned more than a month ago of the possibility that the school might close so they could consider new options. That’s when Chicago Public Schools warned of possible cuts of about 40 percent to per-pupil funding over last year’s allocation if the district couldn’t finagle financial help from the state to make a $676 million pension payment.
Galapagos leaders ran a number of scenarios and decided that even with 10 percent cuts; vital supports to students would have to go: extra tutoring, counselors and social workers. Finally, they couldn’t put off the decision any longer. Without any budget from CPS and without any certainty about what funding levels will look like, the school couldn’t continue.
Galapagos’ operating charter had two more years on it. The school was on CPS’ academic warning list, having earned CPS’ second-to-lowest rating; but Lane said that had nothing to do with the decision.
“This is a reflection on our leaders, our political leaders and their inability to put forth a reasonable budget that provides services to the people of Illinois,” Lane said. “There are very few organizations, private or public, that could survive the possibility of a 37 percent cut across the board in their revenues.” Galapagos lost more than 25 percent of its students this year after being placed on the warning list, as parents sought better options for their children.
CPS blamed the governor. “As long as Gov. (Bruce) Rauner continues to double down on an education funding system that punishes the poorest students in the state, it will create even deeper uncertainty about CPS’ fiscal future,” district spokeswoman Emily Bittner said. “This is why we are working so closely with parents and school communities to demand that the state fully and equitable fund education for all Illinois students.”
Andrew Broy, who is the head of Illinois Network of Charter Schools had warned of the possibility of a few dozen charters closing if CPS went through with a total $700 million in cuts to per-pupil funding to schools. “We are getting closer to the July 15 first-quarter payment to charters. If they are not made, other charter schools will probably close. Galapagos, serving about 236 children, 97 percent of them poor, becomes the first in Chicago to fall victim to a budget impasse in Springfield.
Rather than focusing on Illinois' budget, this article will examine what charter schools are.
In North America a charter school is a publicly funded, independent school established by teachers, parents, or community groups under the terms of a charter with a local or national authority. Charter schools are unique public schools that are allowed the freedom to be more innovative while being held accountable for advancing student achievement. Because they are public schools, they are open to all children, do not charge tuition, and do not have special entrance requirements.
Charter schools were created to help improve our nation’s public school system and offer parents another public school option to better meet their child’s specific needs. The core of the charter school model is the belief that public schools should be held accountable for student learning. In exchange for this accountability, school leaders should be given freedom to do whatever it takes to help students achieve and should share what works with the broader public school system so that all students benefit.
In the early 1990s, a small group of educators and policymakers came together to develop the charter school model. Minnesota’s legislature passed the first charter law in 1991, and the first charter school opened in 1992. Charter schools are some of the top performing schools in the country as they raise the bar of what's possible in public education.
Charter schools foster a partnership between parents, teachers, and students. They create an environment in which parents can be more involved, teachers are allowed to innovate, and students are provided the structure they need to learn. Some specific examples of how charter schools are working to improve student achievement include:
1. Adjusting curriculum to meet student needs. A charter school can break up the day to provide students with more time on the core subjects they need most. Charter school teachers have a say in the curriculum they teach and can change materials to meet students’ needs.
2. Creating a unique school culture. Charter schools build upon the core academic subjects by creating a school culture or adopting a theme. For example, charter schools may focus on Science Technology Engineering or Math (STEM) education, performing arts, project-based learning, college preparation, career readiness, language immersion, civic engagement, classical education, global awareness, or meeting the needs of autistic students — just to name a few.
3. Developing next-generation learning models. Charter schools are rethinking the meaning of the word “classroom.” In Hawaii, students learn biology with the sky as their ceiling and the ocean as the classroom. Online schools, which don’t have a physical building, use technology to change the dynamics of the classroom. Other schools combine online classroom time with classroom time in a physical school building. In either case, students can learn from experts located anywhere in the world.
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Practically speaking, charter schools offer an institutional hybrid. Like traditional public schools, charter schools are free and can’t discriminate against students because of their race, gender, or disability. However, parents must usually submit a separate application to enroll a child in a charter school, and like private schools, spaces are often limited. Charter schools are independently run, and some are operated by for-profit private companies.
However, charter schools are still funded by government coffers and accountable to the government body — be it state, county, or district — that provides the charter. Many successful charters do substantial additional fundraising as well. If a school is mismanaged or test scores are poor, a charter school can be shut down.
Charter schools can also be hard to get into if they are popular, and they may use a lottery system to fill any vacancies. Charter schools also may struggle with funding and typically receive less per pupil than traditional public schools. Many charter schools raise substantial amounts of money from private sources — for spending per pupil between charter schools can vary radically within a single city.
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Next issue will continue the discussion of charter schools, including their history.
