Update DOE Charter School Accountability Committee Member is Not a New Member She has been Serving on this Committee for Years

I have to dig and dig in order to stay on top of things in Dover. This is one of the reasons why I started this blog, to inform community members but for community members to inform me as well; education is a third of Delaware’s budget.

I thought Kendall Massett was replacing Chuck Taylor but she had been a member all along. I had requested from the Department of Education to name Chuck Taylor’s replacement after writing to them back in July. I had read on a blog that Chuck Taylor was named Head of School for Providence Creek Academy and I thought it was a conflict of interest. Mr. Taylor serving as a member of the Charter School Accountability Committee would be a conflict especially when Providence Creek would come before the Charter School Accountability Committee. Mr. Taylor apparently stepped down but I never received a response from DOE on his replacement. I saw the updated committee 2015-2016 roster and Chuck Taylor’s name had been removed, I just assumed Ms. Massett was his replacement, DOE’s roster does not list how long a member has served on the committee. 8 members of the Charter School Accountability Committee 2 members are charter school representatives.

Deborah Wilson, President and CEO, Metropolitan Wilmington Urban League is a new committee member, according to the News Journal article she is no longer serving as president on the Urban League.  I wonder if she will still be serving?

• The Charter School Accountability Committee (“CSAC”) is a public committee convened by the Department of Education to review information and issue recommendations for all major accountability processes for the charters for which it is the approving authority. These processes include, but are not limited to, applications for new charter schools, major modifications, renewals, and formal review.

The News Journal posted an article titled: Special interests: Who lobbies most in Dover? The Delaware Charter School Network was named #5 in who lobbies the most in Dover. The primary group advocates on behalf of Delaware’s charter schools in Legislative Hall.

How can we have the Executive Director of Delaware Charter School Network sitting on a committee who views applications for new charter schools and charter schools major modifications, renewals, and formal review? Folks will say that she is not a voting member, I would say she has the power to influence and it is a conflict; her job is dependent on charter schools increasing and staying open. I would say that they probably even helped write the applications.

Delaware Charter School Network is a non-profit organization created in 2001 to support the charter school movement and charter schools in Delaware and they have a seat at the Charter School Accountability Committee.

I thought it was interesting that the Department of Education website has a link to Delaware Charter School Network.

Since 2013, we have had three charter schools close and DMA, Academy of Dover, and Family Foundations were/are investigated by the Auditor’s Office.

A total of 34 charters have opened, 7 have closed and 3 audit investigations have been reported/initiated showing the tax payers money being misused. 29.4% of Delaware charter schools have either closed or been under investigation. We cannot continue to use our children as experiments, they are the ones who suffer the most.

I will say that there are some good charter schools as well but some of those charter schools also have selective admissions process.