I see no difference between this and other types of magnet schools, such as the School for the Performing Arts.

(02-11-2014 10:10 PM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  I see no difference between this and other types of magnet schools, such as the School for the Performing Arts.

I think the difference is the magnet schools are all owned and operated by HISD whereas the charter schools are mostly semi-private institutions that receive state education funding.

Pertinent article from the Comical today about some charter schools in Houston on the chopping block.

http://www.chron.com/news/education/arti...houtexhcat

There are good charter schools and there are bad charter schools. The best ones make the students and teachers have to spend more time in school.

(02-11-2014 02:13 PM)Baconator Wrote:  

(02-11-2014 01:01 PM)Tiki Owl Wrote:  Ironically there was an editorial the same day also in the Star Tribune about the concern over the failure of a number of charter schools across the State.

http://www.startribune.com/opinion/edito...00931.html

I don't know about Minnesota, but in Texas the kids going to charter schools are much more likely to come from poor areas and from households where kids are more likely to have poor educational outcomes - either single parent, no parent, two working parents who don't have time to help little Johnny study, immigrants, etc. I live in West University, where I promise you there are no kids going to charter schools. If they're not going to WUES (one of the most highly-rated elementary schools in the state) they are going to a high-dollar private school.

(02-11-2014 11:51 AM)Orange County Owl Wrote:  

(02-11-2014 11:06 AM)coogahoopa Wrote:  

(02-11-2014 09:26 AM)FDub Owl Wrote:  I think it is ripe for abuse (i.e. not educating kids), but this has been around for a while. Nick Bolletierri's tennis academy started in 1978.

You beat me to it.

I went to the private school that all the Bolletierri kids went to. They all took basic courses until lunch and then went back to the academy. No electives, no extracurricular school activities. Basically it was enough school to keep the law of their backs.

Although it was pretty cool to have 6 out of the top 10 ranked tennis players in the world in the same biology class.

Fun Fact: Jim Courier was a very highly ranked baseball player before committing to tennis.

Question for you ... how were the tennis guys/girls re: social development? I had a brief period where I met a handful of people in that circle as well (a buddy of mine's sister worked for IMG and helped rep a few of them), and it was quite the mixed bag.

Mixed bag is certainly a fair term.

The years I went to school with them (1982-1987), there was a large international contingent, ~ 60% of the total, who were hungry to socialize with Americans.
Probably 10% of this group were kids that were top 50 players and were there as a bridge to a pro career. The overwhelming majority of them though, were good players who were mega wealthy. While they were typically arrogant, they wanted to soak up the culture and interacted with the other students regularly. My friends in this group have gone on to very successful careers.

The Americans that attended also were split between the truly good players and the wealthy but it was a bit backwards socially as the wealthy kids wanted nothing to do with the non Bollitierri kids for the most part.
I found the truly good players were appreciative of the opportunity they were getting and were much more down to earth.

Fortunately, I had no interaction with parents.

And you can imagine we had a "decent" school tennis team...

(02-11-2014 09:36 PM)Frizzy Owl Wrote:  Not exactly. Is he assigning libertarians to Team Conservative or to the Red Team?

haha - yes, the libertarians are Team Conservative.

One prominent Charter School company is now under lawsuit in Austin for failing to teach evolution. This was all so VERY predictable.

(02-12-2014 11:20 PM)Barney Wrote:  

(02-11-2014 09:36 PM)Frizzy Owl Wrote:  Not exactly. Is he assigning libertarians to Team Conservative or to the Red Team?

haha - yes, the libertarians are Team Conservative.

One prominent Charter School company is now under lawsuit in Austin for failing to teach evolution. This was all so VERY predictable.

Now I am confused. Predictable that charter schools wouldn't teach evolution? Or that charter schools would get sued due to their curriculum?

(02-13-2014 09:24 AM)RiceLad15 Wrote:  

(02-12-2014 11:20 PM)Barney Wrote:  

(02-11-2014 09:36 PM)Frizzy Owl Wrote:  Not exactly. Is he assigning libertarians to Team Conservative or to the Red Team?

haha - yes, the libertarians are Team Conservative.

One prominent Charter School company is now under lawsuit in Austin for failing to teach evolution. This was all so VERY predictable.

Now I am confused. Predictable that charter schools wouldn't teach evolution? Or that charter schools would get sued due to their curriculum?

There he goes again...Barney keeping everybody off balance. Ha.

(02-12-2014 11:20 PM)Barney Wrote:  

(02-11-2014 09:36 PM)Frizzy Owl Wrote:  Not exactly. Is he assigning libertarians to Team Conservative or to the Red Team?

haha - yes, the libertarians are Team Conservative.

One prominent Charter School company is now under lawsuit in Austin for failing to teach evolution. This was all so VERY predictable.

Is it a valid defense to "failure to teach" to show that the kids wouldn't have learned it anyway? If so, could be an easy case for the defendant

Follow up as Achiever Academy withdraws from the early round of the State tourney amid an investigation into the eligibility of six of its players...can't say I am surprised.

http://www.startribune.com/sports/preps/245432791.html