Monitor charter schools; the evidence is growing

The latest report by state auditors on Florida's charter schools is proof that Gov. Bush and other ideological advocates for non-traditional schools aren't helping their cause by holding charters and voucher schools to a different set of standards -- or, in too many cases, to no standards at all.

Think of charter schools as specialty public schools that run on tax money but can operate outside the traditional rules. The report, by the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability, says some encouraging things about charter schools. But deficient academic accountability undermines the positive findings. OPPAGA says bluntly that charter-school parents "can lack meaningful information to make informed school choice decisions."

Florida Education Commissioner John Winn, reacting to the report, seems to have missed that point, insisting that charter schools "all provide parents with a viable education choice, and most enjoy a high degree of parent satisfaction." In fact, all don't.

Those pushing charter and voucher schools in Florida long have insisted that "parent satisfaction" is what matters. They never have explained why parent satisfaction isn't enough of a standard for traditional public schools. Most likely, they fear that charter and voucher schools would not score as well on the state's standard as traditional schools. The latest report, however, indicates that some charter schools can compete with traditional schools. A problem is that parents, school boards and the state can't be sure which are doing a satisfactory job because "current systems do not hold all charter schools accountable for student academic performance." For example, in 2003-2004, 47 percent of charter schools did not receive state grades.

Auditors also found that although charter schools have to spell out academic goals when they sign contracts with local school districts, they "often fail to establish clear expectations with which to hold the schools accountable for the performance of their students" and "annual reports generally do not contain the data necessary to assess whether charter schools are meeting expectations."

Actually, the state Department of Education and some districts have promised to collect and report more information on charter schools. Proper follow-through should help the good charters attract students and might force the also-rans to improve. That's what accountability is supposed to do.

But renewed efforts to expand voucher programs -- without subjecting voucher schools to the same standards and requirements as traditional public schools -- is depressing evidence that Gov. Bush, Commissioner Winn and the Legislature don't yet want to create honest competition.