http://dianeravitch.net/2012/07/13/those-cyber-charter-cash-cows-in-ohio/
or the text
Joanna --------------------------
The Ohio Virtual Academy is making lots of money. And why not? It has a teacher student ratio of 51:1 even though the state pays it for a ratio of 15:1. Only 10% of its state funding went to teachers, and they cleared a profit of 31.5%. What a cool business! Corporate headquarters is bullish; it projects that this will one day be a $15 billion industry. The results aren’t that good , but who cares?
And this cyber charter district is one of the worst performing in the state of Ohio. Its test scores and graduation rates are so low that if it were a public school it would have been shut down by now. But its owner makes big political contribution so no turnaround for this district! Even more important, Governor Kasich spoke at its graduation ceremonies (were they online?) and urged the students to serve their Creator. Because it is such a great school, whose owner “gives back,” the graduation speaker this year was the State Superintendent Stan Heffner.
My friend on Twitter, Greg Mild, posted the following information about the school where Governor Kasich and State Superintendent Heffner spoke:
“ECOT in Ohio 2010-11. Enrollment: 12,000+; Withdrawals: 6,738; Dropouts: 3,045; Turned over 81% of students in single year.”
Are you beginning to understand the importance of “Reform”? Do you see the great things it will do to improve our global competitiveness?
Me neither.