Yesterday's Solution
Delegate Kenneth R. "Ken" Plum
 
A press release from Governor Bob McDonnell's office last month proclaimed that a charter school bill the Governor signed put Virginia in the "vanguard of the National Charter School Movement."  While a certain amount of hype is to be expected in any press release, this one may have gone over the top.  In considering the Governor's proposed legislation on charter schools, the General Assembly stripped out its main provision that would have allowed the State Board of Education to approve charter schools over the objections of local school boards.  All that remained in the bill was a provision that the State Department of Education staff can assist local school divisions prepare charter school applications, something they can already do anyway without the bill.
 
        A fundamental question is whether charter schools are yesterday's solution to today's needs.  The charter school movement has lost its momentum.  Dr. Diane Ravitch, one of the most influential educational scholars of the decade and long-time proponent of charter schools, was quoted in the New York Times on March 2, 2010, as saying that charter schools have proven to be no better on average than regular schools, and in many cities were bleeding resources from the public system.  In accepting the National Education Association Friend of Education Award, Dr. Ravitch spoke out about "the riskiness of school choice."  She said "it undercuts public education by enabling charter schools to skim the best students in poor communities.  As our society pursues these policies, we will develop a bifurcated system, one for the haves, another for the have-nots, and politicians have the nerve to boast about such outcomes." 
 
        A comprehensive study last year by the Center for Research on Education Outcomes (CREDO) at Stanford University (www.credo.stanford.edu) of 70 percent of the students in charter schools in the United States found that about 17 percent provide superior education opportunities for their students, nearly half have results that are no different from the local public school options, and 37 percent deliver learning results that are significantly worse than their students would have realized had they remained in traditional public schools.  While the report authors acknowledge the difficulties involved in opening a charter school, they insist that failing charter schools be closed.
 
        Improving the outcomes for children in our public schools should be among our highest priorities.  Siphoning some children off to go to a charter school will not bring about needed change; in fact it may delay needed systematic changes.  A report funded by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, "Earning Warning!  Why Reading by the End of Third Grade Matters," (www.aecf.org) concluded that reading proficiency by the end of the third grade can be a make-or-break benchmark in a child's educational development.  Alternatives within the regular school framework to meet differing needs of students should be offered.  That is where we should be investing our educational reform dollars.  We need to move on from yesterday's failed solutions.

 

 

 

 

Ken will be calling constituents on the telephone on Thursday, September 16, at 8:00 p.m. to discuss state issues.  You will get a brief recorded message announcing the purpose of the call.  Please stay on the line to participate in the live meeting.  Ken will be taking calls, answering your questions, and receiving your comments about your interests and concerns.  You will also be able to register your opinion on several issues by using your telephone keypad.  To ensure that you are called, please e-mail your phone number to Ken at kenplum@aol.com or leave it on his answering machine at 703.758.9733.

 

 The General Assembly will likely be called into special session this fall to consider some government reorganizations.  Let Delegate Ken Plum know your opinion on these issues by taking his 2010 Special Survey.  Go to www.kenplum.com and click on the link to the survey.  Email kenplum@aol.com or call 703.758.9733 with your name and home address if you would like a paper copy of the survey to be mailed to you.

 

The Fairfax County Water Authority reminds us that polluted rain water is the nation's number one water quality problem.  Nonpoint source pollution, often called stormwater runoff pollution, comes from many sources including parking lots, lawns, driveways, golf courses, and roads.  Rainwater that runs off these surfaces picks up contaminants like motor oil, fertilizer, pesticides, and bacteria from pet waste.  This stormwater runoff flows into storm drains and eventually ends up in the Occoquan Reservoir and the Potomac River, Fairfax Water's raw water sources.   Follow these simple tips to prevent water pollution:

- Dispose of used motor oil and household hazardous waste properly.  Don't pour it on the driveway or into the storm drain.

- Avoid excess fertilizer or pesticide use, especially before rain is predicted.

- Wash your car at a commercial car wash or in a location where the soapy water will not run into the storm drain.

- Sweep up dirt, grass clippings, and other yard waste instead of washing them down the driveway and into the gutter.

- Always pick up pet waste from your yard, sidewalk, or park area.

For more information about preventing water pollultion, visit www.onlyrain.org or call 703.324.1460, TTY 711.

 

The Giving Circle of HOPE utilizes a new trend in philanthropy.  Members contribute time, talents, and money and collectively decide how to use them to impact a specific cause or interest area.  The Giving Circle of HOPE helps people in need in Northern Virginia by issuing annual grants, providing direct service through ongoing service programs, and hosting community events to benefit nonprofit partners.  Founded in 2004 with 4 members, its membership has grown to 100+ individuals.  The Giving Circle of HOPE meets quarterly, with the next meeting to be held on Tuesday, September 14, 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at 2009 Halyard Lane, Reston.  For more information about mission and membership, visit www.givingcircleofhope.org.