Revised: The Evolution of the Charter School Movement...Originated from Educators, Tainted by Corporations

Disclaimer: Due to some technical problems causing the sudden erasure of half my initial blog entry on this topic, while editing it this morning, here is the new and revised blog entry below. Enjoy...

A few days ago, via Facebook, I came across this article written by renowned education historian, Diane Ravitch. In an eloquent, yet detailed manner, she gave a critical analysis of the movie, Waiting For Superman, challenging misconceptions about public and charter schools, as well as false information being dubbed as factual. Perhaps what grabbed my attention the most is what she stated about origins of charter schools:


The film never acknowledges that charter schools were created mainly at the instigation of Albert Shanker, the president of the American Federation of Teachers from 1974 to 1997. Shanker had the idea in 1988 that a group of public school teachers would ask their colleagues for permission to create a small school that would focus on the neediest students, those who had dropped out and those who were disengaged from school and likely to drop out. He sold the idea as a way to open schools that would collaborate with public schools and help motivate disengaged students. In 1993, Shanker turned against the charter school idea when he realized that for-profit organizations saw it as a business opportunity and were advancing an agenda of school privatization. Michelle Rhee gained her teaching experience in Baltimore as an employee of Education Alternatives, Inc., one of the first of the for-profit operations.


WHAT? WAIT! I DIDN'T KNOW THAT!

Albert Shanker

Of course, I have heard of the late great Al Shanker (biography), the legendary president of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), the second largest teachers union in America. But I didn't know this. Wow! Elated, I was inspired to inquire more about Shanker's role in the formation of charter schools...and it was a personal lesson learned for me

Dr. Ray Budde

From my research, I discovered several things. First, Shanker didn't first come up with the idea of charter schools; it was originated by the late Dr. Ray Budde (biography), a former teacher, principal, and education professor in Massachusetts. As a teacher, Shanker had serious issues with school administration who were giving young teachers a difficult time; hence, these teachers' passions were being destroyed. After stumbling across Budde's idea of public schools being freed from state and local bureaucracies and basically run by unionized teachers, Shanker, as AFT President, began sharing Budde's idea publicly, first in the spring of 1988 at the National Press Club.


Shortly after, educator reformers in Minnesota sought Shanker in helping with the establishment and implementation of charter schools. In fact, Minnesota became the first state to pass a charter school law in 1991, paving the way for now 40 others states, including Puerto Rico and District of Columbia, to pass similar laws. However, these reformers altered the original intent of charter schools to foster competition with public schools, utilize a more business-like operational approach, and remove not only LEA control, but also collective bargaining ties by the teachers unions. It was then that Shanker began to change his position and advocate against every charter schools idea that didn't include collective bargaining initiatives. Even today, years after Shanker's death in 1997, teachers unions are vehemently against the current charter school movement.


Thus, the idea of charter schools evolved...


...from Budde's idea:

Ray Budde's proposal was actually for a restructuring of the district: for moving from "a four-level line and staff organization" to "a two-level form in which groups of teachers would receive educational charters directly from the school board" and would carry the responsibility for instruction. It dealt with existing schools. It was the concept that Paul Hill later called the 'contract district'; that the Education Commission of the States later termed the ‘all-charter district'. ~ From Ray Budde and the origin of the "charter concept" by T. Kolderie

...and Shanker's input:

Shanker expanded on [Budde's] idea by proposing that teachers start schools new (though within existing school buildings). But like Budde, Shanker simply put his idea out there; did not move to implement it.

~ From Ray Budde and the origin of the "charter concept" by T. Kolderie

In his writing and speeches, Shanker outlined a system where educators would have greater autonomy to develop an innovative school proposal and receive a "charter" from an official government body to implement the plan. Regulations that stood in the way of the proposal would be waived, and the school would control its budget. It would be a publicly funded and non-discriminatory school of choice, where parents would choose to send their children and where teachers would choose to work. Periodic evaluations would ascertain if pre-determined goals were met and if the charter should be extended (Shanker, July 1988). This proposed "autonomy for accountability" arrangement was nothing less than the working definition of a charter school, some form of which now exists in 40 states. ~ From The Grinding Battle with Circumstance: Charter Schools and the Potential of School-Based Collective Bargaining by J. Gyruko
 
... to the current charter school movement:

      But charters only took off because others radicalized the charter concept Budde had devised. Reading Shanker’s column, Joe Nathan and Ted Kolderie, at work on educational reform in Minnesota, saw potential in the charter idea. Delighted that the powerful Al Shanker had given it his blessing, they invited him to the Twin Cities to help peddle it to Governor Rudy Perpich and the state’s legislature.
     But as they worked on the legislation that was eventually passed in 1991, Nathan and Kolderie fundamentally altered the charter concept.  According to the Budde model, charters were to be authorized by school districts and run by teachers. Central office administrators were to be pushed aside, but charter schools would still operate within collective bargaining arrangements negotiated between districts and unions.
     Nathan and Kolderie instead proposed that schools be authorized by statewide agencies that were separate and apart from local district control. That opened charter doors not only to teachers but also to outside entrepreneurs. Competition between charters and districts was to be encouraged.  All of a sudden, charter schools were free of the constraints imposed by collective bargaining contracts districts negotiated with unions.
     At this point, Shanker signed off, calling charters a “gimmick,” and teacher unions ever since have done their best to slow the movement down, insisting that charters be authorized only if local districts agree, as well as burdening charters with numerous regulations, including a requirement that they be subject to collective bargaining.  For Shanker and his heirs, the collective bargaining agreement always came first.
~ From No, Al Shanker Did Not Invent The Charter School by P. Peterson

While never abandoning collective bargaining, it is noteworthy to note that Shanker advocated for increased professionalism in the classroom by pushing for similar agendas that so-called experts are demanding for today, including

• National board certification for teachers
• High academic standards for all students
• Accountability for results
• Peer review among teachers
• Minimum competency tests for new teachers
• Team approach in school organization and management
• Cooperative learning
• Individualized and participatory instruction
• Use of technology
• Focus on other professional issues

Even today, years after Shanker's death in 1997, teachers unions are fighting for not only better working conditions and labor relations for its members, but also for better professional opportunities to improve in their craft.

One of the famous quotes by Shanker is this: When school children start paying union dues, that's when I'll start representing the interests of school children. This may sound condescending, but he was doing his job by representing the interests of those who paid his salary...the teachers and other school personnel. However, I am a firm believer that if school and district administrators would fully support and encourage their teachers the best way they can, then the teachers will give their best to their students. It would be a win-win situation. Unfortunately that is not the case. Therefore, while teacher unions are not perfect, we teachers need them to protect us and provide us with a professional voice.

UPDATE: I just came across an interesting blog entry by Queens Teacher detailing how well-known charter schools in NYC are funded. All the donors hail from, you guess it...WALL STREET! This is further proof that the education reform propaganda being pushed by, as the blogger described as "ed deformers", is about money and making more money and not about the kids.