Reblogged from the Detroit Free Press
What the Free Press found
A yearlong Free Press investigation of Michigan’s charter schools found wasteful spending, conflicts of interest, poor performing schools and a failure to close the worst of the worst. Among the findings:
- Charter schools spend $1billion per year in state taxpayer money, often with little transparency.
- Some charter schools are innovative and have excellent academic outcomes — but those that don’t are allowed to stay open year after year.
- A majority of the worst-ranked charter schools in Michigan have been open 10 years or more.
- Charter schools as a whole fare no better than traditional schools in educating students in poverty.
- Michigan has substantially more for-profit companies running schools than any other state.
- Some charter school board members were forced out after demanding financial details from management companies.
- State law does not prevent insider dealing and self-enrichment by those who operate schools.
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