Public Administration: Policy Reform Supporting

Public Administration: Policy Reform Supporting Charter Schools in the State of Virginia

The objective of this work is to analyze the impact of a reform supporting Charter Schools in the current education policy in the State of Virginia and to examine the politics surrounding this change.

It is reported in the work entitled: "Charter Schools, When Explained, Get Support" that Charter Schools in Virginia "operation under different rules than other states. When asked for an opinion about changing the state constitution to give Virginia charter schools more independence from local school boards on hiring and firing decisions, 37% favor, 44% oppose and the remaining 19% are undecided." (Augusta Free Press, 2009) It is additionally reported that there are those who desire for Charter Schools to be granted more independence.

The work of Adam B. Schaeffer published by the CATO Institute reports that it has been shown through data derived from a recent poll conducted among more than 1000 Virginians that 2/3 of Virginians "support school choice in principle. But oddly, the state is resoundingly anti-school choice. It ranks ninth from the bottom in the Education Freedom Index, a state-by-state survey by Jay P. Greene of the Manhattan Institute." (2006)

II. No Real School Choice in Virginia

It is reported that the president of the Virginia Institute for Public Policy stated that there really is not a school choice in the state of Virginia" and in fact Virginia is stated to be behind the majority of other states by 'years'. However, it is reported that a political action committee that is based in Michigan and specifically that of 'All Children Matter' has spent $100,000 in funding for the state to "...support choice-friendly candidates in the last election cycle. The group seems convinced Virginia is ripe for change. But it remains to be seen whether the group's optimism is warranted." (Schaeffer, 2006) Vouchers are reported to be the most difficult favored school-choice initiative to "pass, enact, and defend." (Schaeffer, 2006)

Furthermore the use of public money for private or sectarian school tuitions is prohibited in Virginia as well as 25 other states under the title of the 'Blaine' amendment in the state constitutions. It is stated that it is encouraging that some state supreme courts "have taken a narrow reading of this restriction" in that they allow voucher programs on the condition that the state funding goes "directly to families and only indirectly to private institutions." (Schaeffer, 2006) However, the supreme court in the state of Virginia is stated to have handed down the ruling that this approach is directly in violation to the public-private funding ban.

Finally it is reported in the work of Schaeffer (2006) that it is possible to make a "...convincing case for education tax credits...to all Virginians with a combination of equity and accountability arguments. Choice allows poor children the chance to escape failing schools, advocates should say; it also makes schools accountable to parents who, in the end, would rightly determine the best school for their child." According to the head of Choices K-2, a school reform organization, Lil Tuttle "The social justice angle has changed hearts," she explains, "but the economic angle will change votes." The cost-saving side of tax credits coupled with the equity argument for helping poor children to escape from failing schools should create interest among suburbanites if politicians try selling it to them." (Schaeffer, 2006)

III. Reasons that Virginia Should Focus on Charter School Development & Funding

The work of Braunlich (2009) states that the state of Virginia is in 'need' of more charter schools. It is reported by Frankenberg and Siegel-Hawsley (2009) states that charter school expansion is the focus of central policy of the present Washington Administration and that charter schools "encompass a variety of schools with different priorities serving many communities and students from a range of backgrounds. There are outstanding and diverse charters, some of which have been highlighted by this or prior administrations. While the administration has acknowledged the importance of regulating and closing low performing charter schools, it has yet to respond to concerns raised about continued racial isolation in charter schools." (Frankenberg and Siegel-Hawsley. 2009)

Dillon (2009) states that school choice is widespread in the U.S. "unless you're poor. In few places is this truer than in Virginia. Middle and upper-income families can exercise school choice by moving to one of the many suburban districts surrounding cities like my hometown of Richmond. They can also maneuver through the system to send their kids to the few really good public schools that exist in cities like Richmond, allowing them to feel virtuous for supporting the "public schools" while protecting their children from the problems that plague the schools overall. Or, as many of the families in my old neighborhood did, they simply opt out by sending their children to one of the popular private schools in the area."

Dillon states that there are other choices of publically financed schooling available to the students in the state of Virginia "...who are fortunate enough to have high test scores and GPAs -- those students can attend one of the "governor's" schools or other specialized magnet programs in the state, two of which recently made Newsweek's list of the most "elite" public high schools in the country." (2009) Dillon states that Virginia schools have made no progress in over a decade in the provision of high quality options for education for children who are in the lower income brackets.

Dillon (2009) states the best possible way to bring about expansion of choices of public school for students is to have Charter schools that are available to students even if they don't score high on test scores. In other words "...Charter schools must accept all students who apply to attend and, if they are oversubscribed, charter schools use a lottery to decide which students will enroll. Despite being open to everyone, several charter schools top the U.S. News and World Report list of the best high schools in the country alongside the elite magnets like Virginia's highly regarded Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology." (Dillon, 2009)

One charter school was scheduled for opening in Richmond in 2010 but there has been constant delays and strong resistance on the part of the Richmond School Board. According to Dillon, citizens of Virginia "have embraced choice for middle and upper-income families and for students who have high test scores. Virginia school officials have embraced choice only insofar as they control the choices. The message of President Obama and Secretary Duncan is one state leaders should heed by making charter schooling a real option here in the commonwealth.

IV. Virginia Seeking $350 Million in Federal Funding

Virginia will have to effect policy reform if the state is to receive the hoped-for federal funding in 2010. In a report dated January 21st 2010 it is reported that Virginia is seeking $350 million in federal funding for the purpose of improving "both teaching and students achievement." (Grimes, 2009) Stated to be included in the criteria used for the awarding of these funds is "a willingness to expand and support charter schools; the ability to track student progress through the grades; teacher evaluation linked to student achievement; and a record of meeting state and federal student performance goals." (Grimes, 2009)

The application submitted by the state of Virginia is stated to propose expansion of the "number of charter schools in the state and beefing up instruction in science, technology, engineering and math. Virginia also would work to develop performance pay programs and to strengthen teacher evaluation and training programs and procedures." (Grimes, 2009)

It is reported that the reason for the small number of charter schools in Virginia is that local school boards are required to sign off on charter school applications. Inn addition there is no appeals process in the state of Virginia for Charter Schools and there is a need for charter school laws in Virginia to be "completely reformed and overhauled." (Terrium quids, 2009)