The academic data provided by No Child Left Behind show that Philadelphia’s charter high schools achieve 95 percent of their academic goals, compared with 76 percent for district-run high schools. While 36 percent of Philadelphia’s neighborhood high schools are designated “persistently dangerous,” none of the charter schools is. And charter high schools boast a 94.5-percent graduation rate, compared with 49.6 percent for Philadelphia public schools.

The data suggest we can’t afford not to open more charter schools - and close down traditional high schools.

Over on Cato-at-Liberty Adam Schaeffer blogs on the savings of school choice (in this case education tax credits in Florida) for taxpayers.  More on how school choice saves money can be found at SchoolChoiceSaves.org and in our policy brief, The Dollars and Sense of School Choice.

I also recommend visiting (and bookmarking) the Friedman Foundation’s resources on “The Myths of School Choice” (HT to Greg Forster).

The second one, a study from our sister think tank, the Buckeye Institute, finds that charter schools save taxpayers money in Ohio, as they cost far less than district-run schools. That is true in most states – including Pennsylvania – as charter schools typically get less funding than district schools.

Anyone who registers at www.letparentschoose.org, will receive a free bumper sticker, a free school choice handbook, and school choice magazines. You can also join their Facebook group

From their News Release:

More than 152,000 children participate in 18 school choice programs operating in 10 states and the District of Columbia. The bipartisan base of support for school choice is growing every year, with public opinion polls showing stronger support among Democrats, African-Americans, Latinos, and Hispanics than ever before.

The School Choice Works campaign will also shine an unprecedented spotlight on the failures of many public schools in America. Despite the best efforts of many educators, roughly 4 million children attend failing or underperforming schools. More than 1 million kids drop out of school each year. Every 26 seconds, another child drops out of school in the U.S.

Higher private school share boosts national test scores

Our findings from an international study of 29 countries speak quite clearly. Competition from private schools improves student achievement, and appears to do so for public school as well as private school students. And it produces these benefits while decreasing the total resources devoted to education, as measured by cumulative educational spending per pupil. Under competitive pressures from private schools, the productivity of the school system measured as the ratio between output and input increases by even more than is suggested by looking at educational outcomes alone. Ironically, although Catholics historically placed less emphasis on education than did adherents of many other religions, their resistance to state-run schooling in many countries helped create institutional configurations that continue to spur student achievement.

Get the Full Article Here

In Pennsylvania

• This year 9 charter schools opened bringing the total to 132 schools serving 60,532 children. (as of April)
• Pennsylvania does not place a cap on the number of charter schools, allowing every district to decide what is best for their community.
• PA charter schools are free from most of the rules and regulations placed on traditional public schools.
• The commonwealth permits multiple authorizers, or various paths for approving and managing charter schools.
• Pennsylvania does not provide any assistance for charter school building costs.
• 70-82% of teachers must participate in the public retirement system.

Nationwide

• Over the past year waiting lists have increased by 33% despite state caps and moratoriums on new charter schools. During the 2007-08 school year 4,128 charter schools served over 1.24 million students in 40 states and Washington D.C.
• Critics say charter schools serve fewer disadvantaged children compared to public schools based on the number of students registered for free and reduced lunches. According to CER’s survey, 54% of all charter school students qualify for these programs, but 38% do not participate for a variety of reasons.
• Results show 52% of charter school participants are minorities, 50% are at-risk, and 54% are low income students. And charter schools are not allowed to “pick” their student body.
• Charter schools offer longer school days and school years compared to public schools.
• Charter schools tend to be smaller in size creating a more intimate environment for learning.
• Teaching staff at charter schools have more independence, 85% are not participating in a union or collective bargaining agreement.
• Of experienced teachers in the charter school system 38% reported skill based contracts and 20% have performance based pay.
• On average charter schools received 40% less funding than traditional public schools. According to the U.S. Census public schools receive on average $10,771 for every student and spend $9,138. Charter schools receive $6,585 and spend $7,625 per student and most schools do not receive money for facility use and maintenance.

Public schools are in trouble, spending is out of control, Pennsylvania averages 12 teacher strikes every year, and test scores continue to decline . . . families need school choice. Visit www.schoolchoicesaves.com and www.schoolboardtransparency.org for more on how to reform PA’s education system.

In a speech in Pittsburgh today, Governor Palin endorsed the idea of special ed vouchers saying, “In a McCain-Palin administration, we will put the educational choices for special needs children in the right hands — their parents’. Under reforms that I will lead as vice president, the parents and caretakers of children with physical or mental disabilities will be able to send that boy or girl to the school of their choice — public or private.

Under our reforms, federal funding for every special needs child will follow that child. Some states have begun to apply this principle already, as in Florida’s McKay Scholarship program. That program allows for choices and a quality of education that should be available to parents in every state, for every child with special needs.”

In 2007, REACH launched a brand-new marketing campaign to show everyone the many Visions of Choice that are happening everyday in the Commonwealth. The main goals of the campaign are to put a face to the school choice movement and to portray school choice in a positive light. We also want to help people make the connection between what REACH does and the families and children that are successful because of it.

By definition, school choice means allowing every parent to send their child to the school that best fits their child’s educational needs, regardless of income or zip code. REACH estimates that over 355,000 children are currently utilizing school choice options in the Commonwealth. In Pennsylvania, school choice options include Charter Schools, Cyber-Charter Schools, Private Tutoring, Homeschooling, Private Schools, Parochial Schools and the Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) Program. Each year, the Visions of Choice campaign focuses on several families from all over the state who have chosen different school choice options.

For the 2008 visions of school choice, click here.

For Parents:

In order to choose families who exemplify school choice, whether it’s through the EITC, through homeschools, charter schools or cyber-charter schools, REACH is holding its annual Choice Contest. To be considered for this campaign, families must submit the following:

• Parents: Parents must fill out the corresponding nomination form.
• Students: Students must create something that shows what school choice means to them (examples: a poster, an essay, paper mache, powerpoint presentation, etc.). The nomination form from the parents must be submitted with this project.

As well as being able to share your story, winners may be able to meet with their legislator and take a trip to Harrisburg. They will also be VIP attendees at the annual rally and awards dinner. Winners will receive a REACH Visions of Choice prize pack, filled with goodies to make your school year more successful.

Submissions are due to REACH by Friday, December 5, 2008. Please address all material to:

REACH Foundation

Visions of Choice

20 North Market Square, Suite 400

Harrisburg, PA 17101

Scholarship Organizations will be notified of the winners; they will then notify you. If your family is chosen to participate, we will send a professional photographer to your house or school to photograph you to be used in marketing materials and media campaigns. Parents will be notified of our schedule.

If you are not a 2009 winner, your story could still be on the Visions of Choice section of our website.

Another point which has been frequently made here was that Stern’s article, published after the Utah voucher law was repealed, implies that school choice is not politically viable - yet in the months since, Georgia and Louisiana have enacted school schoice programs. Other responses to Stern are here and here.

Get the full report here.

REACH also has provided an info sheet and hosted a conference call (audio available) about how S-Corporations and others can take the Educational Improvement Tax Credit under the latest changes to the law.