Curtatone: Charter question goes way too far

$412 MILLION. That figure represents the amount of taxpayer money that was diverted from 243 local school districts across the Commonwealth and given to charter schools last year. If Ballot Question 2 passes this election, that annual number will grow much higher, and the consequences for students in our public schools will be long-lasting. We will have collectively taken away the very resources they need to succeed.

Let’s get this out of the way right now. I am not anti-charter school. In fact, I support the philosophy of charter schools and am proud to say we have an excellent charter school right here in our city. Thoughtfully managing the number and location of charter schools in our state has helped us build—not harm—educational opportunities for all children. But harm is exactly what would happen if Question 2 passes.

This ballot question – if approved – would allow the indefinite expansion of charter schools with up to 12 new openings each year. There would be no restrictions on where these charters can open, and local taxpayers and governments would have absolutely no say so in the charter’s approval.

Proponents of Question 2 note that voting in favor will give parents more choice in their child’s education. As a parent, I know how important that is. But what proponents leave out is that 96 percent of parents in the Commonwealth choose to send their children to local public schools, myself included. And students in those schools currently rank first in the country on multiple measurements of achievement. Question 2 could unravel that progress. As the number of charters mushroom, they will drain away the funding that undergirds that success.

Now I know some public schools are still struggling (as are some charters). And I know many public schools need reform, but Question 2 isn’t the answer. It is too extreme and goes way too far. It’s premature and irresponsible to lift the charter cap without addressing the many issues and questions surrounding charters and the many needs of our public schools.

Public education can work and work extremely well when it is strategically managed, empowered to innovate, and properly funded. Take a look at what’s happening here in Somerville.

We took a collective community approach to advancing education, and got everyone involved: schools, city, community members, families, university partners, and businesses. We utilized data every step of the way to gauge needs and guide policies. We strategically invested in both programs and interventions. Together, we created an innovation pathway for teachers, students, and parents alike. And the results speak for themselves. We now rank in the top 12 percent of schools in the Commonwealth when looking at Student Performance Growth data (the only urban school to achieve this). And we’ve maintained that trajectory for several years now. (This year’s scores are due in as I type.)

Our local schools’ as well as our city’s commitment to making education a top priority is showing what can be done within public education. But all of our work and all of our students’ work faces a very real threat if Question 2 passes.

Here’s how Question 2 would be absolutely detrimental to the budget of our local schools and our city. The funding formula wouldn’t change with the passage of the proposal. This means that when a student enrolls in a charter school, funding would follow him or her from the public school district to the charter school.

Those in favor of Question 2 want us to think that this issue is not that big of a deal and that it’s easy to cut back a little because you won’t have to educate that specific child anymore. But that’s far from the truth. Teachers don’t stand in front of and educate only one child at a time, so you don’t want to cut back on staff when a child or handful of children leaves for a charter. Who would teach the rest of the class?

We would have to cut back in our local public schools if Question 2 allows more charter schools to open. We would be forced into a situation of larger class sizes and fewer enrichment courses such as coding, athletics, music, and art. And eventually, at least one school would be forced to close. It will be a difficult day when we sit down to decide which one.

Elsewhere the impacts could be more dire. Many communities already have limited ability to make the educational investments they need, and further loss of funding will halt all progress. They will never be able to advance.

It is my responsibility—and our responsibility— to ensure that we are educating every child and youth in our whole community and every community. It’s important that we have innovative choices for families and students. Everyone learns differently. We need to provide those opportunities. But Question 2 is the wrong plan.

Public education can work and does work, and we should look at why it’s working in some districts and not others. Then we need to take one simple but courageous step: we need to commit as communities—and as a Commonwealth—to invest in public school programs that work. We shouldn’t be shifting funds about like some reckless game of three-card Monte where for every winning cup a couple of more come up empty. Our children—all of them—deserve more careful school reform.

Joseph A. Curtatone is the mayor of Somerville.