#AnotherDayAnotherCharterScandal

A Charter School Board Member Says The Quiet Part Out Loud

With NVMI fighting to survive, a suggestion was made to discard struggling students. Its Superintendent throws other charters under the bus.

“Let’s look at performance too with the kids that we keep.”

– Julie Ward, NVMI Board of Trustees

As recipients of public funding, charter schools are supposed to accept all students who seek to enroll. In the increasingly rare event that demand exceeds capacity, a random lottery is supposed to give all applicants an equal chance of attending. Any preference based on ability or performance is supposed to be expressly forbidden. Screening prospective students based on a need for services is also against the law.

While it is often difficult to prove that charter schools are overtly breaking these rules, the data does show that these publicly funded private schools serve children with special education needs at rates lower than public schools. This discrepancy is even more pronounced for those with moderate to severe disabilities. During a candidate debate in 2015, Scott Schmerelson shared his…