DFER Washington
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DFER WA Director Responds to Justin Baeder's Article in EdWeek on Charter Schools in WA
January 27, 2012
Washington State Director of Democrats for Education Reform, Lisa Macfarlane, responds to Justin Baeder's recent article in Education Week, "Charter Rhetoric Heating Up in WA State."
Justin,
What is heating up in Washington State is a desire to do better by our children. It is for that reason why those that have previously opposed charters (including myself) have switched sides to be supportive of this form of public education.
Why is there so much interest now in public charter schools for Washington State?
Because the status quo is keeping our poor and minority kids at an educational disadvantage.
Because it is unconscionable that an African American kid growing up in South Seattle or South King currently has an 11% chance of getting a college degree or career credential. The Georgetown Center on Education and the Workforce predicts that, by 2018, 67% of the jobs in Washington State will require a college degree or a career credential. In the meantime, our region's high paying jobs are going to kids from other states and other countries.
Our achievement gaps are unacceptable and unconscionable. If we stay on our current path, Washington will close its achievement gaps in 105 years, according to the Center on Education Policy. States more committed to education reform, like Louisiana, will close their gaps in 12.5 years.
Charter school advocates are the first to admit that there are both good and bad charter schools, which are serving a higher proportion of minority and low income students than traditional public schools. But let's be honest. The high quality public charter schools, like K.I.P.P., Aspire, YES Prep, and Uncommon Schools are making major headway on helping disadvantaged kids succeed. They have given thousands of low-income and minority kids a fantastic education and, as a result, have changed the trajectory of their lives.
Washington has precious few traditional public schools serving the needs of low-income and minority students. A few good high achieving charters serving the kids in our high poverty communities would give us the proof points we so desperately need. The bill that is before the Washington legislature is very different from the ones voters turned down in the past. It focuses on educationally disadvantaged students and it takes advantage of the lessons learned in other states about the need for a strong authorizing environment.
Why Democrats Support Charter Schools
January 17, 2012
By Lisa Macfarlane, DFER Washington State Director
Trying to have a conversation with Washington State Democrats about allowing the development of charter schools is like trying to talk to Republicans about implementing an income tax. Their minds are closed and they don't want to be confused with facts. (Washington Voters have repeatedly turned down charter school and income tax proposals.) But, fortunately, thanks to leadership from Representative Pettigrew (D-Seattle, 37th District), Senator Rodney Tom (D-Bellevue, 48th District) and others, our legislators will be revisiting the issue of public charter schools this session.
The news of an upcoming legislative charter school debate has sparked charter hater ideologues to hit the blogosphere, posting things like "Why Democrats Oppose Charter Schools" and "A lesson by a Seattle teacher on charter schools."
New flash to the haters: There are many Democrats who support charter schools. Our country's top Democrat, Barack Obama, the man we all fought to elect, is a big charter school fan. He believes in the ability of successful charter schools to help some of our most educationally disadvantaged kids.
Charter schools are not a silver bullet. Not all charter schools are great, just like not all traditional public schools are great. Over 40 states now have charter schools and a number of lessons have been learned from the last 20 years. High quality charter schools like KIPP have figured out how to close achievement gaps and they are successfully replicating themselves across the country to achieve greater gains in student achievement for at-risk student populations.
Local Democrats should examine the reasons why the National Democratic Party platform, the National Education Association, the American Federation of Teachers, and many good Democrats support high quality public charter schools.
Here are a few good reasons:
• High quality public charter schools are successfully closing achievement gaps.
• High quality public charter schools can give underserved parents a choice and voice in their education.
• High quality public charter schools can act as laboratories of reform, identifying successful practices that can be replicated by traditional public schools.
• High quality public charter schools offer teachers autonomy not typically found in traditional public schools.
What great charter schools have in common is a relentless focus on high student achievement for a group of kids that the traditional system has failed, and their results are making urban educators and policy makers take notice.
Washington chapter of national education reform PAC names Lisa Macfarlane as director
December 13, 2011
By Peter Callaghan
(From The News Tribune, December 12th, 2011)
Lisa Macfarlane co-founded the League of Education Voters after leading the 2000 campaign to pass Initiative 728 to boost state funding of public schools. A veteran of many Seattle levy campaigns, Macfarlane was one of the LEV's faces in Olympia, pushing its reform legislation.
She will now become the director of the state branch of Democrats for Education Reform. Unlike other education reform groups, this one is a political action committee that can endorse and contribute to candidates. It's self description says it seeks to "encourage a more productive dialogue within the Democratic Party on the need to fundamentally reform American public education. DFER operates at all levels of government to educate elected officials and support reform-minded candidates for public office."
Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Change is Coming to Washington State
December 12, 2011
By Lisa Macfarlane, DFER Washington State Director
It's sad, but true. I am not going far, but I am moving on from the League of Education Voters (LEV). With pride about the past, and excitement about the future, I have exciting news to share. As of January 1st, 2012, I will officially be the Washington State Director of Democrats for Education Reform (DFER).
For umpteen years, I have been working to get our schools the resources and the reforms they need from a non-partisan advocacy perch. It's been a fun and wild ride, with an incredible team. I am enormously proud of the organization that LEV has become, and what we have accomplished for kids in Washington State.
At DFER I will continue to fight for school reforms in WA. It is a civic, economic and moral imperative that we pick up the pace of school improvement in our state. While some states are closing their achievement gaps; ours are widening. It is time to "occupy the data," and be honest about how many of our poor kids and kids of color are not getting the educational opportunities they need and deserve.
Defending the status quo of educational inequity is somewhere between wrong and unconscionable. The current polarized climate of excuse making and partisan resistance to sensible reform is not only embarrassing, it is becoming a political liability. Most importantly, it is hurting our kids.
Guest Blog Post: Washington Teachers Have a Voice
August 10, 2011
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