An invitation to fiction writing. That is how New York Times reporter Mike Winerip characterized the application process of the Charter School Programs of the U.S. Department of Education. More than a decade has passed, and the problem remains.
Read my blog in Valerie Strauss’s The Answer Sheet in the Washington Post and learn how the Cincinnati Classical Academy, a Hillsdale Charter School, fooled the Department by pretending that its goal is to help disadvantaged students in Cincinnati.
Legislators, Ohio NEA and AFT, the Cincinnati NAACP, the state PTA, and wonderful grassroots advocacy groups gave their support by signing our letter asking Secretary Cardona to withdraw the grant. You can read the letter we sent here.
This is not the first time that NPE has alerted the Department to awardees who wrote deceptive applications. Will anything change? In the weeks ahead, we and our allies will follow up.
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The Network for Public Education is now on TikTok with video messages for you to share. Please follow us as we venture into new social media to get our message out. You can download those videos to share on your other social media accounts. Click on the icon below for the link.
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NPE cannot do the work we do without your help. We operate on a shoestring budget. But our reports, action alerts, advocacy, conferences, and webinars with Diane put us at the forefront of saving public education. Behind the scenes in fighting vouchers in Texas or making the case for Charter School Programs reform, NPE is the organization with a tiny budget but a mighty voice.
Please make your tax-deductible donation to NPE here
So please give to NPE this holiday season. If you prefer to send a check, our address is:
The Network for Public Education, PO BOX 227, New York City, NY 10156.
And from all of us at NPE to you–Happy Holidays!
Carol
