TORIES AND CHARTER SCHOOLS

National Post - August 10, 2001 http://www.nationalpost.com/home/story.html?f=/stories/20010810/641146.html
Ontario opens door to charter schools
Next step up to parents: 'There is certainly nothing to prevent it,' Minister says
Julie Smyth

The Ontario government is open to letting parents run charter schools, institutions fully funded by the public but operated outside the control of school boards.

Janet Ecker, the Minister of Education, said seven months ago she did not favour the concept, but is now willing to look at it if parents are interested. Government consultations with parent councils suggest most are not willing to take control of schools, but some parents want to play a direct role and favour charter schools, she said.

"We'll see where parents want to go next," Ms. Ecker said in an interview. "I said to the school councils and to the Ontario Parent Council, if they want to come to the government and say 'We are prepared to start taking that step,' the government would listen and would consider that. There is certainly nothing to prevent it."

She said the Conservative government, which is also introducing tax credits for private education and will allow parents to choose which public school their child attends, wants parents to be more involved in directing their children's education.

Charter schools are popular in the United States, but there are only 10 in Canada, all in Alberta. They are part of the public system and cannot charge tuition, but they are run independently, often by parents who make their own hiring decisions, and usually offer alternative teaching styles or programs, such as a focus on academic excellence or music.

Helen Raham, Executive Director of the Society for Advancement of Excellence in Education, a British Columbia-based research organization, said every province should look at charter schools because evidence across North America suggests they are popular with parents and, in some cases, improve academic results.

A study in Arizona found charter school students had higher scores in reading than those in regular public schools. As well, in the United States, parents are often more satisfied with charter schools than with traditional schools and believe they offer greater flexibility for students. A number of them cater to low-performing or disadvantaged students.

A study of Alberta charter schools commissioned by the Society for Advancement of Excellence in Education found parents preferred the smaller classrooms, the approach to discipline and the atmosphere.

Often, the schools have long waiting lists, said Ms. Raham, a former teacher. One charter school in Calgary has around 3,500 students on its list.

"They provide an option within the public system at no additional cost to the system or to parents. It is a logical move. When parents are seeking an alternative and a school board says no, their only choice [outside of Alberta] is to go to the private system. Charters encourage school boards to pay attention to students' and parents' needs," said Ms. Raham.

Teachers unions have opposed charter schools, which employ mainly non-unionized teachers, because they are seen as a threat to jobs. Rhonda Kimberley-Young, vice-president of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation, said the union believes charter schools should not receive public money if they are not managed by school boards. She believes they are not as inclusive or effective as other public schools.

However, Brian Oxley, director of the Ontario Coalition for Education Reform, a group representing teachers and parents, said it is wrong to characterize charter schools as elitist or ineffective. In Alberta and south of the border, he said, the schools are legally obliged to accept all students.

A survey, published this year, of 1,500 parents and teachers in Ontario, found dissatisfaction with public schools is at an all-time high. The survey, conducted by the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto, found 44% were satisfied with schools in Ontario, while 37% were not. Among teachers, 52% were dissatisfied.

Greg Reid, chairman of the Ontario Parent Council, said although a majority of parent councils have not indicated they want to run schools, he said some parents believe school boards are not doing a sufficient job.

"If the current reforms in the province do not satisfy parents, maybe they'll decide they want to take the next step," Mr. Reid said.

The Ontario government has led a series of education reforms in the last couple of years. It has introduced mandatory student and teacher testing and has focused on adding more accountability by publicizing student results.

Thousands of teachers have threatened to boycott tests, which will include an entrance exam similar to a lawyer's bar exam and mandatory courses as a requirement of teaching recertification. The government has said the teachers risk losing their jobs if they fail to participate.

The government has also indicated it wants to offer more flexibility and choice in the regular public system, introducing more schools offering arts or other specialized programs.