Welcome to CharterLand! Charter school tricks exposed

Some politicians want charter schools. But do charter schools want you?

The battle against ed deform gets funner and funner.

New Infographic: Welcome to CharterLand!

Posted at National Opportunity to Learn Campaign: http://www.otlcampaign.org/blog/2013/09/04/new-infographic-welcome-charterland

Friday September 6th, 2013

There is growing outrage over the story of Tiana Parker, a seven-year-old student in Tulsa, Oklahoma who was pushed out of her charter school because of her hairstyle. The school said her dreadlocks, which the school's policy lumps with "mohawks" and "other faddish styles" the school prohibits, "didn't look presentable" and was distracting. Sadly, Tiana isn't the only child to be unfairly pushed out of a charter.

Many policymakers like to herald charter schools as the cure-all solution to a struggling public education system. But as Tiana found out, even if you wanted to attend one, a charter might not want you. Based on research from Dr. Kevin Welner at the National Education Policy Center, this new infographic from the OTL Campaign illustrates the obstacles and pitfalls some charters set up to weed out or push out struggling students and those who need additional supports. While some charters do well by their students, even in the best possible scenario charter schools aren't a systemic solution to providing an opportunity to learn for all students.

Ensuring every student has access to a quality education shouldn't be a game, so is "CharterLand" really the best way forward for America?

Bienvenido a CharterLand! Click here for a version in Spanish / Clic aquí para una versión en español

For greater elaboration on the obstacles presented in CharterLand, along with citations, read “The Dirty Dozen: How Charter Schools Influence Student Enrollment,” and this recent Reuters Special Report: “Class Struggle - How charter schools get students they want.”

And check out NEPC's new book, Closing the Opportunity Gap: What America Must Do to Give Every Child an Even Chance. Closing the Opportunity Gap brings together top experts who offer evidence-based essays that paint a powerful picture of denied opportunities. They also describe sensible, research-based policy approaches to enhance opportunities.