Herald, Telegram Voice Support to Lift the Cap

The Boston Herald and the Worcester Telegram recently wrote editorials in support of legislation to lift the cap on charter public schools. 

The Herald calls the bill that would eliminate caps in the bottom 10 percent of underperforming districts a "cheap and easy call" for Governor Patrick. 

The Telegram writes, "Charter schools in Massachusetts were born with the Education Reform Act of 1993. It is now 2013. The last 20 years offer abundant evidence that charter schools are a viable and legitimate choice. The Legislature should eliminate all caps and spending limits for charters, and give the people of Massachusetts truly unfettered choice in how their own public education dollars are spent." 

Click here to read the Herald editorial.

Click here to read the Worcester Telegram editorial.

Patrick’s education proposal should reform more

Scot Lehigh from the Boston Globe writes in support of eliminating the charter cap completely in districts whose student performance puts them in the lowest 10 percent statewide. Lehigh says that the legislation recently filed asking the state to do just that, is really based on something very simple: "Do more of what works."

Lehigh says that the "bill would also extend the important turnaround tools established in 2010 to a wider range of unperforming schools, giving districts more power to override collective bargaining constraints in some schools that have ranked in the lowest 20 percent for two consecutive years."

Click here to read the story.

City on a Hill is an Opportunity, Not a Threat

In a recent editorial, the New Bedford Standard Times states that it disagrees with Mayor Jon Mitchell's opinion that the charter school application filed by City on a Hill should be denied. The editorial discusses why City on a Hill is an opportunity to improve "access to academic success in a city where too many students are left behind."

City on a Hill has submitted two applications to the state to open replication schools in Boston and New Bedford. In addition to the Standard Times editorial, Warren Berube, a New Bedford resident and former executive director and founder of the Global Learning Charter Public School, writes an opinion piece stating that while the New Bedford district schools will arrive at a good place in the future, until that time, "the traditional public schools must learn to peacefully co-exist with innovative educational institutions that have a proven track record of helping children achieve academic success. At this moment in time, those institutions happen to be part of the effective charter school movement in Massachusetts."

Click here to read the editorial. 

Click here to read Warren Berube's opinion. 

Reville a hard act to follow in school post

A Boston Globe editorial states that Gov. Patrick’s new Education Secretary Matthew Malone has big shoes to fill as he takes over for Paul Reville. The Globe says Malone needs to keep in mind “what made Reville successful,” and that includes supporting the expansion of charters. “Raising the cap (on charters) would keep pressure on district schools to adopt charter school-like reforms, such as the longer school day and more hiring flexibility for school principals,” the Globe says. “Patrick will have made the wrong choice if Malone obstructs charter school expansion in Massachusetts.”

Click here to read the story.

Globe, Herald say Mayor’s education reforms hinder good work by charters

The Boston Globe and Boston Herald editorial teams recently wrote editorials generally supportive of Boston Mayor Thomas Menino’s education reform proposals, but criticized the portions of his plan that would undermine charters.

The Globe editorial states that the Mayor is right to push for more tools to improve public schools in Boston, but he "has no business undermining the mainstream charter school movement in the process."

The Herald writes that the Mayor’s proposal falls short of calling for caps to be lifted on Commonwealth charters. The Herald said that unless the Mayor’s proposals “succeed in making it easier for more charters to welcome more Boston families seeking educational alternatives, we’re not particularly impressed.”

Click here to read the Boston Globe editorial.

Click here to read the Boston Herald editorial.