How to get money for schools

OK, I'm just going to have to reverse my previous opinion.

Let's make all our schools charter schools. Suddenly they'll be showered with state money, just like this one:

State provides funds to build charter school
By Andrew Becker
CONTRA COSTA TIMES
Jan. 28, 2006

Antioch's hopes for new campuses and school modernization were boosted this week when the state announced it has agreed to fund a new charter school and expects to do the same for new elementary and magnet schools.

The State Allocation Board approved funding for the approximately $4 million Antioch Charter Academy, which will be built on Hacienda Way. Construction bidding will open in March, and the school will open classes starting this fall, said Tim Forrester, the district's facilities and financing director.

Not only that, there are piles of Gates Foundation money just looking for a school in need — as long as it's a charter school.

And anyone associated with charter schools is likely to get lots of free, gushing press — I assume this is due to the publicity firepower of the California Charter Schools Association and the charter-pushing right-wing think tanks.

Forget the kvetches. Let's just make all our schools charters, grab the benefits and deal with the drawbacks later.

More on this topic soon, needless to say.

— Caroline