Join the conversation at #QualityEdChat on Twitter.
Charter schools have been the source of some contentious debates in the education policy space, often centered on the growth of charters and their impact on traditional public school systems. Yet beyond these debates are a number of issues and policy choices that have deep impacts on the equity effects of charter schools.
This interactive conversation will cover a range of issues, with a focus on less commonly discussed topics in charter school policy such as enrollment issues around student backfill policies, lottery systems, and the perceived notion that charters are able to self-select students for attendance. Additionally, the discussion will explore operations issues that affect equity in charter schools, such as transportation for students to and from school, participation in meal programs, and how schools receive and use funding for facilities and resources. Finally, the panelists will discuss the ability of charters to serve all populations of students, particularly those who need additional services such as students with disabilities, English learners, and foster or homeless youth.
Please join the Center for American Progress to discuss charter policy in a broader context than the often debated talking points. This discussion aims to step back and examine the current state of the charter debate and where we might go from here, with an emphasis on how equity can be infused more holistically into charter policy.
We would love to hear your questions. Please submit any questions you have for our panelists via email at [email protected] or on Twitter using #QualityEdChat.
This event will be live captioned at americanprogress.org/livecaptioning.
This event is part of an online series exploring the five key issue areas that a new public education agenda should include. Each week, experts from across the education field will discuss how educators are adjusting to virtual schooling, the history of the federal government’s role in providing equal access to high-quality and equitable education to all students, preparing students for the future of work, what charter policy could look like in the future that puts equity at the forefront, and the need for greater and more targeted federal investment in education.
Panelists:
Sharhonda Bossier, Deputy Director, Education Leaders of Color (EdLoc)
Laina Cox, Principal, Capital City Public Charter Middle School
Shavar Jeffries, National President, Democrats for Education Reform
Joshua P. Starr, PDK International
Moderator:
Neil Campbell, Director of Innovation, K-12 Education Policy, Center for American Progress