Dozens Speak Out Against “privatization” Option for Dallas Schools

The Dallas school district shouldn't give control of any campus to an outside partner, parents and community members told trustees Thursday night. Doing so would mean gambling with children's education and leaving parents out of the loop, they worried. They were speaking out against DSD's interest in a new state law that would allow more state money to flow into a school if it became an in-district charter run by its own governing board. Trustees were to vote a policy outlining how to proceed with such partnerships at the meeting, but the proposal was pulled from the board's agenda after criticism begin to spread. Administrators sought to ease concerns by noting that there's no deal yet and that the district wouldn't partner with a charter operator. Charters -- public schools that operate free of many state regulations such as class size limits and teacher certification requirements -- are urban school districts' biggest competition. About 34,000 children live within the DISD boundaries but attend a charter school.   Continue reading...