Public schools continue to fail.
It shouldn’t surprise us. Monopolies rarely provide good service to their customers.
People call them ‘public schools’, but ‘government run’ is more accurate. Ultimately, charter schools are open to the public. Privately run supermarkets are open to the public more hours than “public” schools.
International tests show that American children do not learn as well as children in other countries. The situation has gotten worse because teachers unions have closed schools during the pandemic.
The situation is even worse in our state, New York, where big government and labor unions thrive. The test scores of children here are well below the national average. In New York City, the scores are much lower.
But there is one dramatic exception. The aptly named Success Academy succeeds where government-run schools fail.
The chain, led by former Democratic City Council member Eva Moskowitz, now operates more than 50 schools.
On math tests they outperform every school in the state. But most Success Academy kids come from low-income families.
“It is about redefining American public education,” Success’ LaMae de Jongh says in my article. new video. “Our black and Hispanic students perform two and three times better than their peers in math.”
how? By trying something new.
At Success schools, the principal spends time in every classroom and provides tips to teachers.
One teacher said, “They are telling me things I don’t see.”
“Some teachers don’t like being watched and criticized.” I said to the servant.
“But it’s getting better!” she answers “When they do better, academics do better and educators feel more successful. That’s what you want!”
Success Academy’s class times are longer. Children typically stay until 4:30 p.m. Some even stay later.
Some parents take their children out because of the additional demands. “That’s why test scores are so high!” Complain to the critics. “Dropouts increase the average test scores of the remaining children.”
Maybe so. But for the thousands of kids at Success Charters, we have high expectations. good thing.
When I spoke to the children there, I was surprised when the 7-year-olds said they were “looking forward” to school! I never did. One person said learning to read was “amazing!”
This is why so many parents try so desperately to get their children into Success Academy. Nearly 13,000 more families apply than there is space for the school. So the school holds a lottery to decide who gets in.
The chain would like to bring the magic to more children, but it can’t! “Progressive” politicians limit the numbers they can serve.
Former Mayor Bill de Blasio said, “I hate privatizers. I want to stop them.” He closed Harlem’s most successful charter school.
The current market isn’t that terrible, but New York’s charter school cap remains in place.
Educational institutions don’t like competition.
Public school advocates say competition “takes money” away from public schools.
That’s a lie.
It is true that public school enrollment rates are declining. More parents are now homeschooling and sending their children to charter and private schools. But spending in public schools continues to rise. Government always spends money more!
Additionally, as students leave, public schools more Money per student. That’s because the government provides charters like Success with $18,000 per student. Public schools receive almost $36,000!
For half the money, Success Academy gets you better results.
Most high school students don’t take AP exams at all. About half of those who take it in our state pass.
But at Success Academy every Children take tests. And 80% passed!
“These kids must be miserable!” I said to the servant. “They’re always working.”
“why?” she laughs “They’re having fun learning.”
It’s also not always about school work. Success, she points out, offers “chess, debating, theater and music.” “These are not add-ons. They are part of our times.”
Success makes teachers work harder. Teacher turnover is high.
But so what? The goal is for children to succeed. With Success Academy, you can!
“It’s unfair not to,” one student told me. everyone I get this opportunity.”
He’s right. It’s unfair.
Every child has to make that choice.
Copyright 2024: JFS PRODUCTIONS INC.
