Today's New York Post has an op-ed article (here) by me that discusses New York State's federal Race to the Top application being named among the sixteen "finalists."

The state Board of Regents and Education Commissioner did all they could to effectively position New York for a federal grant from this $4.35 billion competitive grant fund. But they cannot legislate. Today's Post op-ed urges the state legislature to adopt genuine education reforms now to break out of this pack send a message to Washington that New York will carry out its promised reforms.

There is nothing to lose and everything to gain by the legislature moving with alacrity. Either we increase our chances for the maximum grant now; or we better position the state competitively for resubmitting a grant for Round 2 applications in June.

Peter Murphy
for The Chalkboard
Twitter.com/PeterMurphy26
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The charter school teachers pictured above were "applauded" by fellow teachers at a United Federation of Teachers delegate meeting on February 24, as reported in New York Teacher (here).

And what were these charter school teachers being applauded for by their colleagues? Why, for "backing the UFT's effort to reform" state law to supposedly bring more transparency to charter schools and make them more accessible to students at risk.

A respectful suggestion to these charter school teachers: if you haven't actually read this legislation, I suggest you do so before believing the UFT's spin. A fair reading of this bill will reveal that it not only stops virtually any new charter schools from being approved, but would saddle existing schools, including probably your own, from remaining fiscally viable to stay open and employ you and your colleagues.

In other words, this bill (A.9558), which had the backing of the teacher unions and the School Boards Association (which opposes charters) had a variety of "poison pills" that by design would be detrimental to charter schools - all the while cloaked in this phony veneer of "transparency and accountability."

If transparency and serving more special education students is the real objective of the UFT, those measures would have been approved since the charter school community had no objections to a variety of proposals, most of which codified existing administrative requirements on charter schools. For example, the Governor's revised Race to the Top bill (S.6470) and other pro-charter legislation contained these very provisions. These bills also included a real charter cap lift and other pro-charter measures designed to help the New York win $700 million in Race to the Top funding from the Obama administration, which supports charter schools.

Charter Teachers Should Know: UFT Cut Your School's Funding
Do these charter school teachers standing at this meeting agree with the UFT's successful effort-to freeze charter school funding this year? That UFT proposal adopted by the legislature denied charter schools -- and teachers' paychecks -- the formula funding increase that was due from the portion of the Campaign for Fiscal Equity funding that already was spent by New York City district schools, but not charters.

With the proposed state budget on the UFT's agenda, has the union come out against the Governor's proposal to continue this funding freeze on charter schools--at last year's levels--for next year? I've seen no evidence the UFT opposes this funding freeze, which would be consistent with its position to impose it in the first place.

This whole discussion led by UFT head Michael Mulgrew on chartering is so deceptive and fraudulent, it is difficult to actually resolve issues and arrive at consensus. But, we're all adults here, and you can research the facts of this charter school legislation backed by the UFT - or believe his lyin' eyes.

Peter Murphy
for The Chalkboard
Twitter.com/PeterMurphy26
Facebook: "Chalkboard Nycsa"

The U.S. Department of Education today announced the "finalists" for Round 1 of the Race to the Top competition for its $4 billion pot of money. New York is one of 16 finalists (15 states and D.C.).

Now, it's better to be in the running than not -- or is it?

Today's announcement awards no money; that's still five weeks away, in mid-April. Since there were 40 states and D.C. in the competition, a little more than half the states were lopped off and have a chance to reapply for Round 2 by June 1st.

New York's Race to the Top application reflected extensive policy changes by the Regents, adopted during its November and December meetings. The Regents' recommendations for legislative changes, however, went nowhere as the legislature--the Senate, actually--was stalemated. Considering the sham, anti-charter legislation that was on track for approval by the Assembly, the stalemate was the best outcome at the time.

In effect, New York's Race to the Top application is half a loaf, but enough to make the "sweet 16" of finalists.

The worst of outcomes would be if New York won a Round 1 award of some paltry sum since winning in Round 1 makes a state ineligible for a second try for a higher grant in Round 2. If New York cannot win the maximum $700 million award now--which is highly unlikely--the state is better off forgoing a smaller grant for the time being, enacting substantive education reforms, and reapplying for the maximum award in June.

The best outcome? Adopt legislative reforms now. The Race to the Top criteria technically does not consider changes after submission of Round 1 applications during their review process. Yet there is everything to be gained by enacting reforms sooner rather than later since the Obama administration will surely notice the legislature finally taking its comprehensive education reform agenda seriously.

In a tight competition among the final 16, anything helps. Oh, and did I say New York State needs every cent of that $700 million - like, right now?

Peter Murphy
for The Chalkboard
Twitter.com/PeterMurphy26
Facebook: "Chalkboard Nycsa"

This Sunday's New York Times Magazine includes a lengthy article entitled "Building a Better Teacher," by Elizabeth Green, the editor of GothamSchools.org. It's previewed on-line here and features Doug Lemov, the head of the True North Public Schools Network, a division of Uncommon Schools, which operates high-performing charter middle schools in Rochester and Troy.

This also is Ms. Green's first article in the Times magazine, so congratulations to her.

Doug Lemov also is a board member of the New York Charter Schools Association, so it's especially delightful to see his talent and accomplishments discussed in such a major publication as the Times magazine. He also has provided valuable presentations on teaching and classroom management to charter school operators at the annual charter schools conference sponsored by the Association.

Impressive Background & Accomplishments
Mr. Lemov has an impressive biography. My first contact with him came when he was the founding principal of the Academy of the Pacific Rim, a high-performing charter school in Boston which, among other unique qualities, teaches Mandarin Chinese. In 1999, when I worked at the State University Charter Schools Institute, Mr. Lemov assisted us as an outside reviewer of charter school applications that had poured into SUNY in those days. Charter schools were brand new to SUNY and its fledgling Charter Schools Institute recruited several successful charter school operators to assist in evaluating applications for new charters. In 2000, he was hired by the Institute as its Vice President overseeing charter schools' academic accountability.

Subsequently, Mr. Lemov got his MBA at Harvard, then returned to the Albany area as the first director of School Performance, Inc., which provided assessment and other technical assistance to most of the charter schools in Albany that are supported by the Brighter Choice Foundation.

Educational Excellence for Upstate
I believe that True North Charter Schools has a great vision to bring public educational excellence to upstate urban school districts, which desperately need it but often fall below the radar of highly visible areas of New York City and the Albany state capital. Upstate should be so fortunate.

If you haven't visited a charter school operated by the True North Public Schools Network, you should. You are guaranteed to learn something new and impressive.

Peter Murphy
for The Chalkboard
Twitter.com/PeterMurphy26
Facebook: "Chalkboard Nycsa"

Charter schools have truly arrived.

The teacher unions attack them.

Elected officials attack them.

Now, the television series, "Law & Order," in its twentieth year, attacks charters during the new episode aired Monday evening.

Law & Order's executive producer, Dick Wolf, is getting more shrill with each season, using his show for political attacks and cementing stereotypes. Charter schools are now in his cross-hairs, with claims aired last night that charter schools take the smart kids, have more resources, and leave the "stupid" kids in the district schools. And, yes, the bullying prosecutor threatens a district school principal (portrayed by actress Debra Winger, whose career peaked in the early 1980s) that if she didn't cooperate, the mayor and chancellor will (paraphrasing) "break up your school into six charter schools."

In fact, charter schools are so bad, so unfair, that Law & Order portrays a bunch of district school students killing a charter school student. Imagine that, those poor district kids were treated so unfairly; why, they were provoked to murder!

Too bad Dick Wolf falls for such establishment nonsense, and spreads it on the airwaves. He used to be more subtle, and clever. Oh, for the Law & Order days of Jerry Orbach and Steven Hill - I'm sticking to the reruns.

Peter Murphy
for The Chalkboard
Twitter.com/PeterMurphy26
Facebook: "Chalkboard Nycsa"