Charter-school law should not close the door for online schools

As the Center for Education Reform reports, Mississippi has allowed charter schools since 2010 but has no charter schools in operation. Its law is considered “in name only” and was merely enacted in order to be eligible for federal Race to the Top funding. The law allows for failing schools to be converted to charters and limits the number of conversions to 12 within six years.

Mississippi also requires the State Board of Education, rather than an independent board, to approve charter schools — a “fox-guarding-the-henhouse” type policy. The new proposal would put into place an independent charter- school board to authorize would-be charters, and while “preference will be given to the formation of charter schools that would serve at-risk students … [it] does not prohibit parents from starting charters in districts that have public schools with high performance levels.”

Unfortunately, while the original proposal included a provision for virtual charter schools, the committee included language that “expressly prohibits the payment of state funds to virtual public charter schools …and/or their management organizations.”

With the growing possibilities that online learning affords students, this move by the committee is shortsighted and limits students’ educational options. Online learning has the potential to adapt to students’ unique learning needs. Additionally, virtual education gives students flexibility in when and where they learn and allows students access to courses that may not otherwise be available in their limited geographical area.

Online learning is reaching more than a million students across the nation. Mississippi need not limit itself.

via Charter-school law should not close the door for online schools – Letters – SunHerald.com.

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Tupelo TEA Party pushback on Lee County administrators misuse of school resources against charter schools reaping some benefits.

Reports from Lee County today indicate the Tupelo TEA Party is having some success in publicly calling into question Superintendent Jimmy Weeks use of school resources to argue against charter schools.

We reported the story HERE.

Tupelo TEA Party Director Grant Sowell says that he has had reports of calls to both Superintendent Weeks and Mooreville Principal Craig Cherry questioning their use of school resources on school time to work against the reforms.

“According to one call I received the Superintendent told a questioner that he printed 7200 copies of the letter on school paper to promote his anti-reform agenda,” said Sowell. “We already have the evidence that he did so on Lee County School District letterhead, and that the electronic versions were sent and forwarded when the teachers and principals involved should have been teaching children.”

“No wonder Mississippi schools are so far behind,” he added. “We have school employees actively working to defeat an effort to introduce charter schools, when they should be actively working to help our children succeed. I don’t understand why they won’t stop trying to scare parents, and start trying to offer help in integrating this into Mississippi’s education portfolio.”

“Our parents deserve to have their children given a good education. That, and only that, should be at the center of this discussion. The Tupelo TEA Party will continue to stand strong with parents against such acts of desperation and misinformation.”

Sowell said he is personally aware of a few phone calls and at least one personal visit to Mooreville Principal Cherry. Sowell said that Principal Cherry even admitted to being concerned at sending the email, but thought if the Superintendent ordered it, then he had better do it.

Sowell says he has personally been in touch with State Auditor Stacy Pickering’s office and requested that they look into the misuse of taxpayer funded resources.

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Public chimes in on state retirement system

[Resent id=12622320 2011-09-16 15:02:34 from mississippipep] – WLBT 3 – Jackson, MS:: www.wlbt.com/story/15464637/public-chimes-in-on-st…ystem

JACKSON, MS (WLBT) -
It was a scene inside the State Capitol Wednesday afternoon, where for the first time, the public got a chance to have their voices heard. Most of them concerned about what will happen to the state’s public employees’ retirement system known as PERS, which is know being examined by a commission.

"I would like to see PERS stay intact as it is for current and future employees and I believe it is a promise we should keep," said state retiree Ann Thames.

"To change it would also be detrimental to the employees and retirees of the state of Mississippi," said Canton Public Schools Superintendent Dwight Luckett.

Concerns of sustainability for the system prompted Governor Haley Barbour to create the 12 member commission back in August; made up of business leaders, elected officials and financial experts led by Gulfport Mayor George Schloegel.

"Most of what this commission has been doing is reading, reading, reading," Schloegel told the crowd.

The concern isn’t for the short term, but rather the future. Governor Barbour says the system is only funded at about 60 percent of where it should be and pays out more benefits than it’s structurally set up for.

The commission will examine the system’s structure as well as the legality of modifying it. Through the public hearing, the hope is to get feedback and ease concerns from those who rely on the system.

"If we’re not cognizant of the things that have changed around us and do not react to those, we can get ourselves in trouble down the line," said Schloegel.

The commission itself won’t be making changes to the system, only recommendations which would require legislative action. The commission could also recommend to change nothing at all. With information now gathered from the public, Schloegel says the commission will consider everything heard before making any recommendations.

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