Three recent reports on charter schools haven’t been the smoking guns that proponents and opponents had hoped for. A taxpayer-paid study by Indiana University; another from the University of Indianapolis for Indiana Black Expo, the Urban League and the mayor’s office and the Mayor’s Charter School Office’s own evaluation all reported mixed results.
The three reports reported that some charter schools are making great gains academically. But the reports also showed that those gains aren’t universal among charter schools. That like public school districts, some charter schools are making great student academic gains, while academic performance is spotty at others.
But the most revealing section was found in the University of Indianapolis’ report, which documented the location of Indiana’s 49 charter schools. A revelation showing the geographic disparity of Indiana’s charter school system. A disparity that disproportionably hits Marion County and the Indianapolis Public Schools.
This school year, 139,041 students attend public or charter schools in Marion County. That comprises 13.3 percent of the 1.046 million students in Indiana’s public schools.
This school year, 7,064 students attend charter schools in Marion County. That comprises 43 percent of the 16,442 students in Indiana’s 49 charters.
Roughly one-in-eight Hoosier students attend public school in Marion County, but some two-in five Hoosier charter students attend charter schools in Marion County.
Marion County has an outrageously disproportionate number of Indiana’s charter schools. Of Indiana’s 49 charter schools, 20, or 40.8 percent are located in Marion County. Of Indiana’s 49 charter schools, 17, or 34.7 percent, are located within the IPS district.
No other Indiana county has such a concentration of charter schools. No school district has such a concentration of charter schools.
The IPS district has an estimated population of 288,294 with 17 charters. Allen County (Fort Wayne) has an estimated population of 349,488; but only three charter schools.
Overall public school enrollment in Marion County is slowing. Over the past two school years enrollment’s risen by just 809 or 0.6 percent — the smallest enrollment increase in three years.
Yet, three charters opened here this year, including one with the largest initial opening ever, 597 students.
Opening more schools of any type, while overall enrollment growth has slowed markedly means schools and districts will suffer from empty classrooms and potential school closings. And districts like IPS, which are losing students, or Washington and Lawrence townships whose enrollments are stagnating are vulnerable to school closings, partially because of charters.
If charters are as great as their proponents say, why haven’t more opened up in other districts and counties across the state?
Indianapolis/Marion County has more than its fair share of charters. It’s time for the charters that exist to be allowed to develop, improve and grow. Their mixed academic record demands not more charters, but improvements on those that exist.
Mayor Greg Ballard adamantly opposes a moratorium on new charters, yet his charter school office’s accountability report admits that charter school accountability has been grossly inconsistent — with Open Door laws broken, charter school board attendance spotty and other administrative and leadership gaffes.
If charter proponents are serious about the quality of charters, they will agree with me and demand a moratorium on any new charters in Marion County.
Before any new charters are created, either by Mayor Ballard or Ball State University, let’s absorb the charters we have; improve academics and improve administrative accountability and legality.
What I’m hearing in the streets
I’ve been reading the literally hundreds of pages of draft legislation that would make the Daniels/Kernan/Shepard government reorganization scheme law.
And what I’m reading is scary, sloppy and dangerous. It’s harmful to taxpayers and our African-American community.
Even though Gov. Daniels refused to go along with Kernan/Sherpard’s idea of eliminating county assessors, House Bill 1229 would strip county Auditor Billie Breaux of many duties concerning city/county government. Giving them instead to the county treasurer and the un-elected city controller.
House Bill 1341 and Senate Bill 442 are one of several extraordinary dangerous bills that would eliminate township trustees and emasculate township poor relief under either a coordinator of social services (1341) or a director of public assistance (442).
Senate Bill 442 would at least retain Indy’s nine small claims courts and judges.
House Bill 1341 is more radical, with the nine judges/courts replaced with five small claims judges, appointed by the mayor, with no more than three being of the same political party.
Currently five of the county’s nine small claims judges are Democratic. This plan would reverse the process, giving Republicans more small claims judges than the voters did three years ago.
There is no provision in 1341 for legislative approval of those judges. It is perhaps unconstitutional for the executive part of county government to appoint the judicial branch without legislative branch oversight.
These and several other bills, driven by radical Republican legislators are designed to eviscerate Democratic and African-American elected officials and elective power in Indianapolis.
Those proposing government reorganization, including a recent opinion written to the Recorder have yet to provide concrete estimates of cost savings and propose how emergency poor relief, in a recession, would work under the radical Daniels/Kernan/Shepard scheme.
I’m still waiting for the explanations.
Note to Pacers CEO Jim Morris. For the past few years, the Harlem Globetrotters have appeared at Conseco Fieldhouse on Dr. King’s Day. But the Globetrotters, a highly visible Black institution, desecrated the day with their pointed refusal to do business with Indy’s Black media.
Since Morris and the Pacers are good community citizens, I’m sure they’ll strongly tell the Globetrotters they can’t play at Conseco if the Globetrotters continue their bigoted marketing practices on such a significant day.
Most of you don’t know Ace Cosby. But in Indianapolis radio, Cosby is living testimony to Dr. King’s dream.
For 28 years, Cosby was a DJ at WFBQ/Q95, Indy’s leading rock station. Black DJs at white radio stations have always been rare here. But Ace Cosby’s longevity and quality broadcasting career was rare and remarkable, here and nationwide.
Last week, Ace Cosby was a victim of massive nationwide layoffs by WFBQ’s owner Clear Channel. That a longtime Black employee was riffed while younger whites remained is troubling and of dubious legality.
While our African-American community doesn’t intimately know Ace Cosby, he’s been an African-American pioneer in Indiana broadcasting and deserves our community’s salute.
See ‘ya next week.
Amos Brown’s opinions are not necessarily those of the Indianapolis Recorder Newspaper. You can contact him at (317) 221-0915 or by e-mail at ACBROWN@AOL.COM.
