Howard Blume
reports that the Broad Foundation, the Walton Family Foundation, and other foundations plan a major expansion of privately managed charter schools in Los Angeles.
Broad and Walton are leaders in the movement to privatize public schools, eliminate unions, and break the teaching profession. Their goals align with the extremist agenda of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). The Waltons and Eli Broad have long funded privatization and Teach for America.
They are undeterred by the numerous studies showing that charters on average get no better results than public schools and that many have participated in swindles.
"One person who attended a meeting said the goal was to enroll in charter schools half of all Los Angeles students over the next eight years. Another said there was discussion of an option that involved enrolling 50% of students currently at schools with low test scores. A source said the cost was estimated to be $450 million; another said hundreds of millions of dollars are needed...
"Currently, more than 100,000 L.A. students attend charters, about 16% of district enrollment, according to the Los Angeles Unified School District. L.A. Unified has more charters, 207, and more charter students than any other school district in the country....
"School board President Steve Zimmer said that while some charters serve students well, a rapid expansion could undermine the district's own school improvement efforts. L.A. Unified enrolls students who are more difficult and expensive to educate than those at charters, he said. Those students would be left with fewer resources if there were an exodus to charters, Zimmer said.
"The most critical concern would be the collateral damage to the children left behind," he said.....
"Charter proponents considered it a setback when former Supt. John Deasy resigned under pressure in October. Deasy now works for the Broad Foundation as "superintendent in residence" to help train and coach current or aspiring senior school district administrators.
"Broad had said Deasy was the best L.A. superintendent in memory. Deasy's departure may have been a catalyst for Broad to pursue an aggressive strategy outside the school system, some observers said."
