Hello,

I am not sure that I would look at the American tax system and structure of payment as being based on the "generosity" of taxpayers. There is evidence that the long-term investment in free tuition would far out weight the cost in the short run. The National Education Association (2017) wrote, "one study shows that new spending on public colleges, which would be sparked by an influx of more students, produces more economic activity than a similar-sized tax cut, or similar spending on roads and bridges. And, over their lives, college graduates smoke less, commit fewer crimes, draw less on social welfare programs, and generate more taxes." If we as a nation had made this investment, even a couple of decades ago, we would be seeing the payoff across all segments of society today.

Hi Bradley,

I too agree with you about remedial courses should be paid for if we establish free tuition for all. I think I would add to that the ability for free adult ESL/ELL courses too. The trajectory of Black and Latinx students would be improved if parents had the opportunity to take college classes at whichever entry point into education they can begin.

In April of 2016, the Brookings Institute published an online article asking, “Who would benefit the most from free college?” (Chingos, 2016). As a single parent who has, in one semester, contributed to the tuition of three different private college tuitions, I can assure you that I, in fact, free public education would benefit. The argument for free college tuition does not come without conditions. The case for pro-college tuition for all, regardless of economic status, would need to be proceeded by a radical taxation shift on the wealthiest individuals in the nation. An increase in taxes for high-income earners needs to be followed by mandatory allocation of federal funding for free tuition.

An additional condition of free public college tuition would include providing financial aid package for students, based on income, to cover the living expenses and other cost associated with college. The costs of attending college, besides those of tuition and fees, can excel the cost of the tuition and fees set by the university (Chingos, 2016). Here is what the Brookings Institute found: “students from the bottom quarter of the national income distribution paid an average tuition of $1,673 at community colleges. This group made up 8 percent of in-state students at public colleges and paid 4 percent of all tuition dollars at these colleges, or $1.8 billion. Eliminating tuition thus saves this group $1.8 billion in costs, but they would still have to pay an additional $4.5 billion for living expenses and other college costs (after accounting for existing grant aid sources)” (Chingos, 2016). The full cost and expenses of public higher education are expensive and prohibitive to those in certain income brackets even if tuition were free.

Free public education is a goal this nation should and could strive for, but there needs to be a complete analysis of the need for other funding for low and middle-income families. Free tuition for all should not inadvertently set-up another system of economic disparity and failure for families seeking post-secondary education.

Chingos, M. M. (2016). Who would benefit most from free college?. Brookings Institution, Washington, DC.

Hi Bradley,

You make an interesting addition to the debate regarding charter schools by including magnet schools in the debate. Although I don’t have experience with magnet schools in LA, it seems that the process is creating the biased situation which charter schools are often accused of creating. According to the LA Times, students not currently enrolled, work to earn up to 12 points to gain entrance into the magnet school. Each year a student applies and doesn’t get into a magnet, they earn four points. in magnet school gain four points for every year that they apply to a magnet school and students can receive four points for living in the neighborhood zone of an overcrowded school. Another four points can be allotted for living within the neighborhood boundaries of a "predominantly Latino, Black, Asian and other non-White school” and three points for having a sibling in a magnet school. Of the 210+ magnet schools in LAUSD, at least 50 of them are for GATE students only. There appear to be more segregating criteria to get into magnet school than exist for charter schools.

Similar obstacles exist to entering magnet schools in San Diego Unified School District. The best, and most popular, magnet schools have historically been located in high-income neighborhoods in SDUSD. Priority has always been given to families who reside in the district of the magnet schools, making them economically and racially exclusive enclaves. Even good magnets schools in areas with more people of color and lower incomes are too saturated for more than a handful of outside applicants get into school. Charter schools for San Diego, at least, are open lotteries with the only criteria is that the applying student live within the county or district. Charters are to select by distribution of slots based on zip code and gender equity.

Hi,

My statements about the status of Black and Latino students were based on results from research as well. What does the term, "some", mean? It infers that you believe that there are circumstances in which charter schools work for Black and Latino students. In my argument, I intentionally spoke about California and charter schools which are regulated by school districts and are not stand-alone entities. The NAACP does not speak for the majority of the national Black community on every issue. In fact, there has been a lot of pushback from the Black community over this stance. It may also be helpful to know that an organization who gives Kid Rock an award and has Rachel Dolezal led a chapter will raise eyebrows now and again from the community it states it serves. As someone who has been a member of the NAACP, as well as, a charter school board member and parent, I can assure you that the vast amount of complaints from Black parents and students stem around issues at traditional public school.

Hi,

My statements about the status of Black and Latino students were based on results from research as well. What does the term, "some", mean? It infers that you believe that there are circumstances in which charter schools work for Black and Latino students. In my argument, I intentionally spoke about California and charter schools which are regulated by school districts and are not stand-alone entities. The NAACP does not speak for the majority of the national Black community on every issue. In fact, there has been a lot of pushback from the Black community over this stance. It may also be helpful to know that an organization who gives Kid Rock an award and has Rachel Dolezal led a chapter will raise eyebrows now and again from the community it states it serves. As someone who has been a member of the NAACP, as well as, a charter school board member and parent, I can assure you that the vast amount of complaints from Black parents and students stem around issues at traditional public school.

An ongoing challenge, in the educational system of the U.S., centers on the level of academic achievement for Black and Latino students. Charter schools hold the key to solving the academic success gap of Black and Latino students when compared to their White peers. The Center for Research on Educational Outcomes (CREDO) provides evidence that charter schools benefit Black and Latino students (CREDO, 2015). First, Black and Latino students in urban charter schools demonstrate greater academic growth when compared to their counterparts in traditional public schools (CREDO, 2015). Second, Black and Latino students showed significant positive gains in math and reading while attending urban charter schools (CREDO, 2015).

San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD) was founded in 1854 and has grown from a single, small building to a total of 238 traditional, alternative, and charter schools (SDUSD, 2016). SDUSD is the second largest school district in the state of California serving more than 130,000 students in pre-school through grade 12 and is the second largest district in California (SDUSD, 2016). There are currently 49 charter schools within SDUSD (Magee, 2016). One-fifth of students in the district are enrolled charters, and this figure is expected to increase to 30% within the next ten years (Magee, 2016). The growth in charter schools in the district is linked to the positive gains in achievement for marginalized students. There is the opportunity to level the playing field for students not historically viewed as high achievers.

Urban charter schools are not only narrowing the achievement gap for Black and Latino students; they are preventing academic disparities for other marginalized students. Charter schools surpass graduation rates and access to college for Black and Latino students (CCSA, 2017). There are over six million K-12 students in the state of California, and 76% of students are categorized as students of color (California Department of Education, 2016). In California, of those students who graduated in May 2014 only 32% of the 200,000 Latino/Hispanic students met the eligibility requirements to enter a four-year state public institution (California Department of Education, 2016). For the approximately 26,000 African-American students in California who graduated in 2014, 69% did not meet the requirements for admission to a four-year college or university (California Department of Education, 2016). Nearly, twice as many Black and Latino students were eligible and accepted to attend four-year universities in California than Black and Latino students in traditional public schools (CCSA, 2017)

California Charter School Association (2017). African American Student Performance in Charters. Retrieved from http://www.ccsa.org/understanding/research/africanamericanreport/

California Department of Education (2016) Calfastfacts [Data file]. Retrieved from http://www.cde.ca.gov/ds/sd/cb/ceffingertipfacts.asp

Center for Research on Education Outcomes (2015). Urban Charter School Study: Report on 41 Regions.

Magee, M. February 18, 2016. Retrieved from http://www.latimes.com/local/education/charter-schools/la-me-edu-inside-fight-against-california-charter-schools-san-diego-20160217-story.html

San Diego City Schools. (1954). 100 years of public education in San Diego, July 1, 1854 to June 30, 1954. San Diego, Calif: San Diego Unified School District.