Action Update - Issue 84 :: December 21, 2006

Decade of change for charter schools
By JENNIFER RADCLIFFE -
Houston Chronicle excerpts

Even with a state-mandated charter cap, enrollment is growing by a robust 10 percent a year. In the Houston area, charters may have a market share as high as 15 percent, said Todd Ziebarth, a researcher with the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools.

HISD officials estimate that 12,000 to 13,000 children who live inside district boundaries attend state-approved charter schools. Another 10,000 or so attend HISD charter schools.

More than 1,000 students are waiting for spots in KIPP's southwest Houston schools. The multischool campus houses KIPP Academy Middle School, one of Texas' oldest charters.

With 52 schools nationally, KIPP has produced results by extending the school day, holding Saturday classes, mandating parental involvement and fostering a culture of high expectations among its low-income students. College pennants line the walls, and the names of the former KIPP students who now attend those universities are proudly listed underneath.

The philosophical differences are not lost on students new to the school this year.

"At my old school, they didn't care if we went to college," said Guillermo Vizcardo, a 10-year-old who attended Petrosky Elementary in Alief last year.

Former HISD student Ivan Sepulveda, 10, added: "This school teaches more about life — how we can get a good job and what to expect."

Even with his school's popularity, KIPP co-founder Mike Feinberg said he knows the charter movement hasn't rattled traditional schools.

"We're not there yet. We're not even close," he said, adding the state must shut low-performing schools before the movement can really take root.

Three students are waiting for each seat at Harmony Science Academy, a charter system that consistently earns an "exemplary" state rating.

Still, Harmony Superintendent Soner Tarim acknowledges they're not big enough to scare traditional schools.

"In Houston, it's difficult to see the impact charter schools are having," he said.

Nearby, native-Spanish-speaking students at SER-Niños Charter School alternate weekly between English and Spanish lessons in the school's innovative dual-language program.

The little-publicized campus operated from a church before gaining the wherewithal to finance a $5 million building.

"We fly under the radar," said Charmaine Constantine, who runs the school.

Still, SER-Niños is wildly popular. Even though students are selected through a lottery, parents lined up at the crack of dawn to hand-deliver their applications this school year.

"We had like 50 applications in the first two hours," Constantine said, adding that the waiting list is 188 students long.

<entire report>

One Party Too Many

INVESTOR'S BUSINESS DAILY

12/11/2006

Health Care: Want to know why costs keep rising? Look no further than the federal government. For decades it has grossly distorted the market to the point where consumers are all but indifferent to the cost of care.

Late last month, the Michigan congressional delegation sent a blunt letter to President Bush, stating that "spiraling healthcare costs are placing our industry and America's manufacturing base at a serious competitive disadvantage."

It's a sentiment echoed across the country, as companies grapple with substantial hikes in premiums. With Democrats ready to take control of the legislature, health reform is sure to reclaim center stage. As Sen. Hillary Clinton put it recently: "Health care is coming back."

To get an idea of what's driving costs, a Kaiser Family Foundation survey recently asked workers with employer-provided health plans about their sensitivity to the cost of care. The results were stunning.

• Fewer than half said they consider costs when deciding to see a doctor or filling a prescription.

• Just 38% ask their doctors about lower-cost alternatives for recommended treatments.

• Less than one-quarter bother to ask about the cost of a visit before making an appointment.

• And only one in 10 said they chose a lower-cost option for a test or treatment in the past year.

No wonder costs are out of control. With consumers unconcerned about the costs of their health care decisions, they naturally demand more and more services.

<continued>

RECOMMENDED READING:

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• A Brake on Government Spending? Oh, noooooooooooooooooo!
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• It’s Greener Pastures For Bio-Gas Power
  Now, cow manure is about to be used to power homes and businesses in Central and North Texas.

INFORMATION:
Janelle Shepard, Executive Director
Texans for Texas, Inc., 815-A Brazos St #384, Austin, TX 78701-9996.
© 2004 Texans For Texas, Inc. All Rights Reserved

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