The New Zealand government recently allocated nearly $600 million over four years to enhance learning support services in schools, reflecting an ongoing emphasis on education reform. This funding move is only one piece of a connected agenda. Currently it is led by Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, David Seymour, and Winston Peters in a three-party coalition government. The coalition are hellbent on curing what’s rotten in New Zealand’s education system. Yet many journalists, congresspeople and advocates have called it a crisis.
The United States is also confronting an era of damaging, poorly-planned charter school expansion. This problem was recently highlighted by the Supreme Court’s equally divided decision on the St Isidore charter school in Oklahoma. This case sought public funding to teach a Catholic curriculum, underscoring the contentious intersection of education and religion in American public schools. Even as both countries look to charter school models as solutions, they do so under unique focuses and debates.
New Zealand’s Charter School Landscape
New Zealand’s charter schools have historically served various student demographics, including at-risk youth and those seeking a unique educational experience. It recently pledged almost $140 million to charter schools in the coming two years. This investment reflects a major new commitment to this educational approach. Charter (or partnership) schools in New Zealand have more flexibility to be innovative in how they teach. Unlike regular state schools, they don’t have to follow the national curriculum.
David Seymour, the leader of the ACT Party, a right-wing party, is the main proponent of charter schools. He contends that these institutions empower educators to break free from bureaucratic shackles and realize their full potential. He notes that charter schools must meet clear performance requirements that state schools do not, potentially leading to innovative educational practices.
“A one-size-fits-all education system is not working for everyone, and families paying their taxes deserve more educational choice for their children.” – ACT Party leader David Seymour
The new current coalition government’s plan is to open another 15 new, independently managed, charter schools. In addition, they want to turn 35 current state schools into charter facilities. Supporters believe that this shift could revitalize the education system by introducing diverse teaching methodologies tailored to varying student needs.
The American Charter School Dilemma
Fortunately, unlike New Zealand’s experience, the United States is undergoing a tremendous legal and ethical fight over charter schools. A particularly high-profile example includes the case of St Isidore charter school in Oklahoma, which requested taxpayer money to teach a religious curriculum. The Supreme Court’s recent 4-4 deadlock effectively upholds the lower court’s ruling, blocking the establishment of this Catholic virtual school.
The standing ruling raises a serious conflict between academic freedom and the establishment clause. Concurring with the majority, Liberal Justice Sonia Sotomayor sounded alarm bells over the precedent set by allowing the funding of religious education with public money.
“We’re not going to pay religious leaders to teach their religion.” – liberal Justice Sonia Sotomayor
Conservative Justice Brett Kavanaugh asked if it is discriminatory against religion to disqualify religious actors from public subsidies. This dispute represents the legal thicket around public education funding in America today, especially when it intersects with religion.
As our good friend Dr. Riddle has documented, charter schools tend to rise to prominence as a top policy solution when conservative administrations are in power. He cautions that a charter model can produce profound changes in mission and accountability in American public education.
“At the end of the day what they’re doing is moving responsibility for what’s effectively public education away from the public and into the market.” – Dr. Riddle
The Broader Implications of Educational Reform
Yet both New Zealand and the United States are working through challenges that go beyond any one case or policy. New Zealand’s decision to reinstate charter schools follows a period when such models were scrapped under Jacinda Ardern’s first government. It’s not enough to say charter schools are some great alternative and leave all the public education kids in a pretty messed up situation, critics say.
Dr. Riddle’s article starring these charters gets to the heart of why charter schools sometimes come off as politically expedient solutions as opposed to truly great educational reform. A Bush ally, he warns of the perils of going all-in on market-based reforms in education. This little used approach would quickly put us down the slippery slope to privatization.
“And I fear that kind of switch to a charter model takes you down the pathway that Oklahoma’s going down.” – Dr. Riddle
At a time when both countries are grappling with charters’ failure to advance equitable outcomes for students, these questions cut to the quick. As supporters push to expand choice and foster innovation, opponents are calling attention to the dangers of eroding public accountability.
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