Leaders of the school reform movement in Los Angeles gathered for the first Charter School Leadership Symposium, but their opening speaker came from the education establishment.
Los Angeles Unified School District Deputy Superintendent John Deasy acknowledged right off that there are differences between LAUSD and the approximately 150 charter school educators and administrators meeting at Loyola Marymount University. He addressed the conflict directly and somewhat jovially. “Some of you are even suing us,” he said.
But, Deasy went on to frame the educational environment in Los Angeles as a series of opportunities to better educate the city’s children. He noted that Los Angeles has more students attending public charter schools than any other district in the U.S., 80,000, in 183 charter schools. “The issue is not that students will struggle, but what we will do to help them through that struggle,” Deasy said.
“Charter schools are a viable and necessary part of education,” Deasy said. “We are now in a multiple-provider world … We’re in a moment of unhealthy competition, and I’m looking forward to healthy competition.”
The symposium, organized by the Charter School Leadership Academy in the School of Education at LMU, featured national leaders in the charter school movement who discussed the state of educational reform and the future of the charter movement. Panel members included representatives of the U.S. Department of Education and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Speakers addressed school policy priorities and why some charter schools are succeeding while others are failing.
Jed Wallace, president and CEO of the California Charter School Association, said, “There has been an explosive level of growth in charter schools. Charter schools have performed well academically and parents are demanding them.”
But others pointed out that not all charter schools are successful.
“The variability in quality in charter schools needs to be addressed,” said Don Shalvey, of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, “there need to be mechanisms to close failing charter schools.”
Shane P. Martin, dean of the School of Education and chairman of the board of directors for Green Dot Public Schools emphasized the significance of the conference. “What we heard was a true commitment for the charter movement and LAUSD to work together to raise the achievement levels for all students,” Martin said. “LMU is well-positioned to bring education leaders together to discuss key issues, incubate new ideas and find common ground.”
Martin added, “We work and study in the real-world of schools and will continue to serve as a touchstone in future dialogue on how we can better serve all learners here in Los Angeles and across the nation.”