When we say that charter schools are not accountable - this means that they often are not required, and therefore do not participate, in any of the standardized testing that the state is using to declare some schools “failures.”
Additionally, they have their own rules regarding admitting students and expelling students - they are not required to deal with everybody, regardless of individual needs. Public schools are responsible for admitting every single student.
There is virtually no evidence that parents can, on their own, properly evaluate school effectiveness.
The primary point is that establishing accountability is tough. Current procedures are not perfect. But the “solution” is a step backwards, relying on charter schools that make no effort from the very beginning at being held accountable in rigorous, measurable ways.
In Michigan, many charter schools have opened that do not include the high school grades, therefore pulling in that average state per student allotment that is larger because it incorporates the extra costs associated with educating high school aged students, while the charters restrict their enrollment to under high school. As a result, they are pulling in way more money than public schools that agree to educate Michigan’s children through high school.
In Michigan, state policy has focused on attacking “marginal” groups to implement policies driven by ideology. Right now that marginal constituency is low income students. If the legislators in Michigan truly cared about helping those students, they would search out the programs throughout this country that ARE working. But instead, driven purely by ideology, they are choosing a different path. But no worries, they are focusing their efforts on a constituency whose votes will be easy to repress later. No harm no foul. This is it - Purely Michigan!