Ed Board Has More Questions

By Linda Conner Lambeck, Connecticut Post, Bridgeport

Mar. 29–BRIDGEPORT — The Board of Education has delayed a decision on whether to rent a building to the group that runs the Amistad Academy in New Haven, which wants to open a similar charter school here.

Board member Bobby Simmons, chairman of the School Facilities Committee, told the full board this week his committee won’t be ready to make a recommendation until it gets answers to financial questions and reviews a memorandum of understanding both sides will sign.

The matter likely won’t be taken up by the board until its April 9 meeting.

Achievement First, the nonprofit group that runs the Amistad Academy, wants to open a charter school in Waltersville School, after that school is closed when its students are moved to a new school in the fall of 2008.

The organization has offered to rent the building for $1 a year. In addition, the Charter Oak Challenge Foundation would give a $1 million teacher training grant to the district, filtered through the Bridgeport Public Education Fund.

While details of the arrangement are being worked out, the leadership of both the Bridgeport Education Association, the union representing public school teachers, and Bridgeport Child Advocacy Coalition have raised concerns about the proposal.

“You can definitely say I’m concerned. Our biggest message is that you have to look at all aspects of this,” said Mary Beth Lang, a teacher and president of the BEA.

Lang is worried the Amistad group will be undeservedly credited as “the answer” to education problems in the city, because its school does not serve many students with special needs or those who are learning English.

“When you look at the comparisons, it’s like comparing apples to oranges,” said Jennifer Silves, a Connecticut Education Association representative assigned to Bridgeport.

Marilyn Ondrasik, executive director of BCAC, contended comparing the public schools to the charter school is more like “apples to kumquats.”

In a thick packet provided to the school board, BCAC maintains that charter schools in Connecticut spend more per pupil — when private donations are factored in — than the standard public schools. The charter schools also cost public schools in terms of transportation and special education costs.

Silves said the teachers’ union does not have blanket opposition to charter schools. It supports New Beginnings, another Bridgeport charter school where the teachers belong to the union.

But, she said, a fourth charter school in Bridgeport would be a further drain on limited local funds for education.

State charter schools are managed independently from local school boards’ control and are funded by the state. And the basic per pupil allocation of state aid essentially follows those students who move from the public schools into charter schools. Bridgeport loses state funding for every student who leaves the district, be it for charter or private schools.

Bridgeport now is home to three charter schools: Bridge Academy, New Beginnings and Park City Prep.

The new charter school proposed by the Amistad group would be called “Achievement First — Bridgeport.” It would eventually grow into a 720-student, kindergarten-through-eighth grade school.

“Our magnets do just as well as the charters, or almost as well,” said Lang. “I work at Waltersville. I know that children not successful at charter school come back to public school. We don’t have that option. We educate all students.” During talks with the school board, officials from Achievement First have offered to work with the public school system to make sure students who attend the new school will stay enrolled at least a year and not transfer back mid-year to the public schools.

Lang said she is not suggesting the board turn down the Amistad plan, but neither does she want the board to do anything that gives Achievement First any money.

“If Amistad comes to Bridgeport, they’re going to recruit the kinds of kids they’re successful with. Those kids are frequently the kids that can be modeled for rest of the class” in public schools, Lang said.

She acknowledged the charter school doesn’t need school board permission to locate in Bridgeport, but only to use a city school building.

Mayor John M. Fabrizi has indicated he would rent the building to Achievement First once the school is turned back to the city’s control, if the board opts not to.

Marge Hiller, director of the Bridgeport Public Education Fund, said she is excited about an Amistad-like school coming to Bridgeport. “It’s an excellent education model with best practices that can be replicated,” she said.

She has no fears the charter school would skim the best students from the public schools. “It’s a lottery. You get what you get,” she said.

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Copyright (c) 2007, Connecticut Post, Bridgeport

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business News.

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