"Is online charter school network cashing in on failure?"

Mercury News goes after a Virginia-based online education academy as a way to take in public dollars without providing a true education. The paper claims the K12 Inc network that promises parent involvement and independent control is rally a "veneer for the moneymaking enterprise."

K12 Inc.: California Virtual Academies' operator exploits charter, charity laws for money, records show

 

Yes.

 

Well, I am sure the free market will sort all this out.

The kids can probably get a refund and get a public school do-over or something.

 

I've met about 50 kids who have gone the online charter school route. I wouldn't consider any of them intelligent.

 

But think of the free-market efficiencies they were bringing to bear by using public money and not having to spend very much of their own. The shareholders were probably ecstatic.

 

In theory, Charters aren't bad if they are founded by local people wanting an alternative to public districts that have obvious problems. Even those are not perfect and can severely screw over kids with the incompetence of parents trying to do what they think teachers can't.

This is just sad and exactly why education really shouldn't be big business. But we may now see the free-market create jobs for lawyers who will sue on behalf of the families. Get ready for those pelvic mesh commercials go away and "were you harmed by K12?" to start up.

 

Maybe we can turn this to a win-win and send the charter kids who never got diplomas to the privately-run prisons. Capitalists can double their ROI.

 

I feel like there's a business opportunity here if we can figure out how to get public funds for the prisons.

 

Those already exist, who do you think pays for the privately run prisons? In fact, slip the right judges some under-the-table cash and you can keep your privately run prison full.

 

Aren't online charters pretty much the go-to academic solution for the basketball-mill "prep schools" (i.e. AAU traveling carnival shows) which are popping up all over?

And the "academic standards" they are required to fulfill pretty much consist of the parent/guardian (or the kid himself if over 18) filling out a notarized statement saying, "Our kid be doing awesum good in skool. I grade him a 3.6"

 

Sweet, so there's already a business model! (actually I should have thought about that before my tongue in cheek comment)

 

Yes. And, even better, some private prisons get towns to help fund building the prison as a job creating project then leave the town hanging with an empty prison if the private company decides the numbers aren't in their favor.