Gary Chartrand
On Tuesday, when the Florida Board of Education somewhat grudgingly approved turnaround plans for dozens of D- and F-rated public schools, several board members said they want to explore ways to revamp the process for transforming schools that are struggling academically.
One suggestion from board chairman Gary Chartrand: Parents at those schools need to know what other choices are available.
Chartrand has been a backer of philanthropic efforts to improve education options in inner-city Jacksonville. He was an early supporter of the effort to bring KIPP to the city, and sits on its board.
Parents often face barriers to true school choice, and one of the most basic is a lack of information, he said. If they're in a school where student achievement lags, it's especially important that they know about their options.
"It can get complicated for parents to know what all their choices are, and I particularly get concerned about the lack of choice for those that are the most undeserved, because they don't have the flexibility to move," he said in a brief interview after the meeting. "When you don't offer other choices for that child, then we're not doing our job."
Chartrand is also on the board of the Jacksonville Public Education Fund, which recently issued a report calling for increased choice in Duval County schools.
During the meeting, Chartrand said he was glad to hear fellow board members, including John Padget and Rebecca Fishman Lipsey, were "aggravated" about the current school turnaround process. He said the board would likely hold a workshop on the issue at its next meeting.
