http://educationvotes.nea.

org/2014/03/23/alec-clears-path-for-for-profit-charter-
companies-to-cash-in-after-school-closures/comment-page-1/#comment-105677
ALEC clears path for for-profit charter
companies to cash in after school
closures
osted "arch 23# 2014
$%eet 6 comments
Tags: &'()# &merican 'egislative (*change )ouncil# for-profit charter schools# school
closures
by Flix Prez
"emphis# $enn.# is no stranger to school closures. $he +hel,- )ount- +chool .istrict
closed four schools in 2012 and 2013 each. &nd the district# despite a %ave of parent- and
clerg--led protests and a petition that generated 6#000 signatures# voted last month to
close nine schools and com,ine t%o others.
Take Action
+ign the petition to tell &'() to stop cashing in on /ids. )lic/ here 0
&t a recent school ,oard meeting# the 1ev. .%ight 1a- "ontgomer- said# 23f .r. 4ing
%ere here toda-# he5d ,e standing %here 35m standing toda-# unafraid.6
3n 7e%ar/# 7.8.# parents and educators are organi9ed and spea/ing out against a proposal
,- the state-appointed superintendent to close or consolidate more than a do9en schools.
'ast %ee/# special education teacher "arie :listan# testif-ing ,efore the state
'egislature5s 8oint )ommittee on u,lic +chools# called the plan 2misguided# top-do%n
and illegal.6
$he proposal 2poses a threat to the ver- notion of universal pu,lic education designed to
serve ever- school-age child in 7e% 8erse-#6 said :listan# vice president of the 7e%
8erse- (ducation &ssociation.
;hether in "emphis# 7e%ar/# hiladelphia# ;ashington# .)# or )hicago# communities
hit ,- school closures ,emoan the loss of a longstanding neigh,orhood asset. 1esidents
sa- school ,oard mem,ers and local elected officials give short shrift to displaced
students# man- of %hom have to %al/ long distances through dangerous neigh,orhoods
to reach their ne% schools# some of %hich have poor records on academics# discipline and
safet-.
3n )hicago# %here some 100 schools have ,een closed since 2001 and << percent of the
affected students %ere ,lac/# students commute to their ne% schools through gang areas
using 2safe passage6 routes designated ,- the police department.
&side from the less-than-anticipated savings reali9ed ,- school districts and the
li/elihood that man- students are moved to academicall- underperforming schools#
critics of school closures ta/e issue %ith the influ* of out-of-state for-profit charter
school companies that ,enefit financiall- from distressed communities and siphon mone-
from underfunded pu,lic schools. 3n man- instances# these for-profit schools are not
accounta,le to parents or school ,oards# have mi*ed records of academic success# and are
e*empted from man- of the standards and re=uirements %ith %hich pu,lic schools must
compl-.
video lin/: http://,cove.me/hiadirhu
NJ special education teacher Marie Blistan testifies against Newark plan
$he preferential status given to for-profit charter schools can ,e traced in large measure
to the &merican 'egislative (*change 7et%or/ >&'()?. &'()# a corporate ,ill mill in
%hich politicians let corporations vote on %hat ,ills to pass ,ehind closed doors# %ith no
pu,lic input# has promulgated several model ,ills in recent -ears that carve out special
status for-profit charter school corporations at the e*pense of neigh,orhood pu,lic
schools. (*amples include:
$he @irtual u,lic +chools &ct
$his 2model6 legislation states that 2virtual6 or online schools must ,e provided e=uita,le
treatment and resources as an- other pu,lic school in the state. $hese schools %ould
receive state per-pupil funding for each student %ithout having to provide the services
provided in traditional ,ric/ and mortar schools# including transportation and
e*tracurricular activities. $he senior vice president of )onnection &cademies# o%ned ,-
:ritish media conglomerate earson and one of the nation5s largest providers of online
schools and classes# serves as the corporate co-chair of &'()5s education tas/ force.
$he +pecial 7eeds +cholarship rogram &ct
$his act stipulates that the ma*imum scholarship granted to an eligi,le student shall ,e
e=uivalent to the cost of the educational program that %ould have ,een provided for the
student in the resident school district# although the participating school is not re=uired to
a,ide ,- the student5s 3ndividuali9ed (ducation lan.
$he 3nnovation +chools and +chool .istricts &ct
Apon designation of a district of innovation# each innovation school and each innovation
school 9one in the school district shall ,e allo%ed to %aive an- provisions of a collective
,argaining agreement.
7e*t Beneration )harter +chools &ct
$his 2model6 legislation has ta*pa-ers su,sidi9e 2charter6 schools# from federal# state
and local sources# %hile e*empting these charter schools from compl-ing %ith an- of the
legal re=uirements that govern pu,lic schools# such as teacher and principal =ualification
standards# intramural and e*tracurricular program re=uirements# or even construction or
safet- rules.
arent $rigger &ct
&'()5s 2arent $rigger &ct6 %ould allo% a small group of parents to close a school for
current and future students and turn the school into a charter school or re=uire the state to
use ta*pa-er dollars for vouchers to su,sidi9e private tuition.
(ducation &ccounta,ilit- &ct
Ander this act# a three-fourths vote of the state legislature or a maCorit- vote of residents
%ithin the affected Curisdiction is re=uired to have private schools a,ide ,- an- regulation
pertaining to health# safet-# or land use imposed ,- an- count-# cit-# district# or
su,division of the state.
$here is gro%ing concern among some states that for-profit charter school companies
have a fundamental conflict of interest: &re the- more concerned a,out their
stoc/holders or the education of childrenD 7e% "e*ico# 7e% Eor/# 1hode 3sland and
$ennessee have ,anned them from operating schools.
"ean%hile# school closures continue to disrupt communities. 2;hen -ou close a school#
-ou5re disinvesting in that population#6 said 8itu :ro%n# an organi9er %ith the 4en%ood
Fa/land )ommunit- Frgani9ation in )hicago.