OFT's Tom Mooney on charter schools (OEA, where are YOU?)

Charter schools are a poor alternative to public schools

Columbus Dispatch, Saturday, December 24, 2005

The Dispatch editorial on the Coalition for Public Education’s challenge to Ohio’s charter school program ("Innovation on trial," Dec. 12) cited a key phrase in the Ohio Constitution incorrectly. The Constitution calls for a "thorough and efficient system of common schools," not just a system of public schools. While it is debatable whether charter schools are really public schools, clearly they are not part of a system of common schools because they are not subject to the same academic standards. Nor are they accountable to taxpayers through elected or even appointed public officials. That is the heart of our lawsuit.

Regarding the financial impact of charter schools on public-school districts, The Dispatch misunderstands what is happening. The editorial says, when a child enrolls in a charter school, "The conventional school district loses the state support it received to educate that student." The district loses far more than state dollars. When a student transfers from one public district to another, only the state aid goes with that student, not the entire base-aid amount, which includes state funds and local property-tax dollars. When a student enrolls in a charter, the school district in which the student resides loses the entire base-aid amount.

Although costs go down when a student leaves the district, expenses are not reduced by anywhere near the amount of the reduced funding. Unless by some bizarre twist all of the students departing are from one classroom or one building, districts cannot efficiently lay off teachers or close buildings or eliminate bus routes.

The real questions: Are students getting a better education in Ohio’s charter schools today? Are the dismal results charters produce worth the damage inflicted on public-school districts? The evidence is overwhelming on both questions. They are not.

Plaintiffs do not contend the charter schools are inherently unconstitutional, only that the program, as it is currently designed, allows lower academic standards, and the charter schools are not accountable to voters. If we win on all counts, the result would be a revamped and accountable school-choice system with consistent standards for all schools funded with public tax dollars.

TOM MOONEY

Chairman

Coalition for Public Education

Columbus