Brodie Deshaies: Public schools shouldn't have to fund charters' poor performance

To The Daily Sun,

The New Hampshire Department of Education recently identified 10 of the lowest performing high schools, referring to them as CSI, or Comprehensive Support and Improvement schools. Eight out of the 10 schools identified were charter schools. Why should the state force public school districts to fund and support the state’s top failing schools?

I am all for state-funded school choice programs, but diverting funding from public schools to failed educational institutions is not a good model for public education. Public schools are far from perfect; however, clearly these charter schools are even less perfect. Maybe consolidating resources will help improve the service provided by the better performing public schools in the school districts where these charter schools operate?

Give parents state dollars not from the Education Trust Fund to expand educational options or support charter schools only with state aid. Let the state be responsible for these models and programs. That seems reasonable to me. But using locally raised property taxes for failed charter schools is a poor investment for taxpayers, parents and children. I can’t see how spending property taxes this way actually prepares the next generation of workers, voters and leaders.

Brodie Deshaies

Wolfeboro