Distant Dome By Garry Rayno, InDepthNH.org
Charter schools have always been the poor step child of public education in New Hampshire, and often one of the most contentious.
kAmp A@=:E:42= 32EE=6 6CFAE65 :? E96 =2DE >@?E9 @G6C 7656C2= DE2CE\FA >@?6J — Sce >:==:@? — E92E s6A2CE>6?E @7 t5F42E:@? r@>>:DD:@?6C uC2?< t56=3=FE D2JD H:== 5@F3=6 E96 ?F>36C @7 492CE6C D49@@=D :? E96 DE2E6]k^Am
kAm%92E D@F?5D H@?56C7F= 2?5 H@F=5 36 :7 492CE6C D49@@=D H6C6 23=6 E@ AC@G:56 E96 :??@G2E:@?D 2?5 A@E6?E:2= 249:6G6>6?ED DFAA@CE6CD E@FE[ 3FE F?7@CEF?2E6=J 7:D42= C62=:EJ @7E6? :?E6CG6?6D]k^Am
kAm(9:=6 E96 =2E6DE D<:C>:D9 :D @G6C 7656C2= >@?6J[ 492CE6C D49@@=D 92G6 366? 2 =@?8[ 3:EE6C 32EE=6 7@C =2H>2<6CD 7@C 564256D]k^Am
kAmsFC:?8 E96 `hh_D[ 2=E6C?2E:G6 65F42E:@? AC@A@?6?ED AFD965 E96 DE2E6 E@ 6DE23=:D9 492CE6C D49@@=D =:<6 @E96C DE2E6D[ 7C66:?8 E96 ?6H D49@@=D 7C@> E96 C68F=2E:@?D 2?5 DE2?52C5D AF3=:4 D49@@=D 925 E@ 7@==@H] %96J 2C8F65 E96 492CE6C D49@@=D H@F=5 2==@H G2CJ:?8 65F42E:@?2= >@56=D E92E H@F=5 36EE6C D6CG6 DEF56?ED ?@E 7:EE:?8 :?E@ E96 EC25:E:@?2= >@56=]k^Am
kAmkDEC@?8mp?E:\=23@C 25G@42E6Dk^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAm%96 677@CE H2D DFAA@CE65 3J 2?E:\=23@C F?:@? 25G@42E6D H9@ D2H 2? @AA@CEF?:EJ E@ C65F46 E96 :?7=F6?46 @7 65F42E@CD H9@ C6AC6D6?E65 @?6 @7 E96 3:886DE @C82?:K65 =23@C F?:@?D :? E96 DE2E6]k^Am
kAm%96 E62496CD’ F?:@?D[ AF3=:4 65F42E:@? @77:4:2=D 2?5 >2?J >F?:4:A2= @77:4:2=D @AA@D65 6DE23=:D9:?8 492CE6C D49@@=D 2C8F:?8 E96 >@?6J H@F=5 36 36EE6C DA6?E @? 2=E6C?2E:G6 AC@8C2>D H:E9:? 6I:DE:?8 D49@@=D]k^Am
kAmp7E6C D6G6C2= 7:ED 2?5 DE2CED[ =2H>2<6CD 7:?2==J 2AAC@G65 492CE6C D49@@=D :? `hhd] %96 AC@46DD C6BF:C65 492CE6C D49@@= 7@F?56CD E@ H:? 3@E9 =@42= D49@@= 3@2C5 2?5 5:DEC:4E 2AAC@G2=[ H9:49 H2D 52F?E:?8]k^Am
kAmpD 6IA64E65[ >@DE D49@@= 25>:?:DEC2E@CD[ @77:4:2=D 2?5 5:DEC:4E G@E6CD H6C6 C6=F4E2?E E@ DA6?5 E2I 5@==2CD @? 492CE6C D49@@=D H96? E96J 2=C625J H6C6 92G:?8 5:77:4F=EJ 7F?5:?8 6I:DE:?8 AF3=:4 D49@@=D]k^Am
kAmu@C E96 7:CDE 76H J62CD 27E6C 492CE6C D49@@=D H6C6 2AAC@G65[ @?=J 2 4@FA=6 @7 AC@A@D2=D H6C6 2AAC@G65 2?5 46CE2:?=J ?@ AC@;64ED E92E H@F=5 D6C:@FD=J 2EEC24E DEF56?ED :?E@ 2=E6C?2E:G6 =62C?:?8 6?G:C@?>6?ED]k^Am
kAmr92CE6C D49@@= AC@A@?6?ED D@F89E 2?@E96C 2AAC@G2= AC@46DD E92E H@F=5 2==@H E96 6DE23=:D9>6?E @7 >@C6 492CE6C D49@@=D]k^Am
kAmx? a__b[ E96 =68:D=2EFC6 25@AE65 2 “A:=@E AC@8C2>” 2==@H:?8 E96 DE2E6 D49@@= 3@2C5 E@ 2AAC@G6 FA E@ a_ 492CE6C D49@@=D 7F?565 3J 7656C2= DE2CE\FA 8C2?ED E@E2=:?8 S`g >:==:@?]k^Am
kAm}6H 492CE6C D49@@=D 3682? @A6?:?8[ @7E6? H:E9 6>A92D:D @? DF49 E9:?8D 2D E96 2CED[ 4=2DD:42= 65F42E:@? @C E96 D4:6?46D 2?5 2 76H H6C6 :?E6?565 E@ AC@G:56 2=E6C?2E:G6D E@ 2E\C:D< DEF56?ED :? E96 EC25:E:@?2= D49@@=D]k^Am
kAmkDEC@?8muF?5:?8 H@6Dk^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAmqFE 7F?5:?8 27E6C E96 :?:E:2= 7656C2= 3@@DE H2D 2 AC@3=6> 7@C >2?J @7 E96 D49@@=D 2D 2 a__f DEF5J @7 492CE6C D49@@=D ?@E65 :? :ED 6I64FE:G6 DF>>2CJ]k^Am
kAm“%96 8C@HE9 @7 E96 }6H w2>AD9:C6 492CE6C D49@@= AC@8C2> D:?46 :ED 4C62E:@? :? `hhd 92D 366? =:>:E65 3J 2 ?F>36C @7 724E@CD[ A6C92AD >@DE :>A@CE2?E=J E96 F?46CE2:? 2?5 D9:7E:?8 7F?5:?8 6?G:C@?>6?E :? H9:49 }6H w2>AD9:C6 492CE6C D49@@=D 92G6 366? 2FE9@C:K65 2?5 @A6C2E65]k^Am
kAm“%96 492CE6C D49@@= =2H AC@G:56D E92E 492CE6C D49@@=D E92E 2C6 6=:8:3=6 7@C 8C2?ED D92== >2E49 7F?5D AC@G:565 3J E96 DE2E6 E9C@F89 AC:G2E6 4@?EC:3FE:@?D] w@H6G6C[ E9:D C6G:6H 92D ?@E 5:D4=@D65 6G:56?46 @7 D:8?:7:42?E AC:G2E6 7F?5C2:D:?8 @? E96 A2CE @7 492CE6C D49@@=D :? }6H w2>AD9:C6]k^Am
kAm“$E2E6 EF:E:@? A2J>6?ED 7@C 492CE6C D49@@=D 2C6 H:56=J C682C565 3J 492CE6C D49@@= 25>:?:DEC2E@CD 2D :?256BF2E6 E@ D6CG6 2D E96 D@=6 D@FC46 @7 7F?5:?8 7@C E96:C D49@@=D] %96 32D:D @? H9:49 E96 492CE6C AC@8C2> H2D 6DE23=:D965[ E92E :D E92E A9:=2?E9C@A:4 7F?5:?8 H@F=5 7:== E96 82A 36EH66? DE2E6 492CE6C EF:E:@? 8C2?ED 2?5 E96 2>@F?E ?66565 E@ 7F?5 2 D49@@=[ 92D ?@E AC@G6? E@ 36 E96 42D6[” 244@C5:?8 E@ E96 C6G:6H]k^Am
kAm~?=J 23@FE 7@FC @C 7:G6 @7 E96 62C=J 492CE6C D49@@=D DFCG:G65[ >@DE H:E9 324<:?8 7C@> =@42= D49@@= 5:DEC:4ED DF49 2D r$x r92CE6C $49@@= :? !6?24@@<[ vC62E q2J 6{62C?:?8 r92CE6C $49@@= :? tI6E6C 2?5 }@CE9 r@F?ECJ r92CE6C $49@@= H:E9 =@42E:@?D :? {:EE=6E@? 2?5 {2?42DE6C]k^Am
kAmp=D@ @7 ?@E6 :D E96 ':CEF2= {62C?:?8 p4256>J r92CE6C $49@@= :? tI6E6C[ H9:49 H2D 2AAC@G65 3J E96 DE2E6 3@2C5 :? a__f 2?5 AC@G:56D “5:DE2?46 =62C?:?8” AC@8C2>D E@ D49@@=D E9C@F89@FE E96 DE2E6 H:E9 4C65:E65 @?\=:?6 4=2DD6D :7 DEF56?ED A2DD E96 4@FCD6D]k^Am
kAm~? E96 @E96C D:56[ 7:G6 62C=J 492CE6C D49@@=D 4=@D65 5F6 E@ =@H 6?C@==>6?E 2?5 7:?2?4:2= :DDF6D]k^Am
kAm|@DE @7 E96 492CE6C D49@@=D @A6C2E:?8 ?@H H6C6 2AAC@G65 :? E96 =2DE `_ E@ `d J62CD]k^Am
kAmkDEC@?8mtI:DE:?8 r92CE6C $49@@=Dk^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAmrFCC6?E=J E96C6 2C6 b_ DE2E6\2AAC@G65 492CE6C D49@@=D[ 244@C5:?8 E@ E96 s6A2CE>6?E @7 t5F42E:@?’D H63D:E6[ :?4=F5:?8 @?6 E92E :D D4965F=65 E@ @A6? 7@C E96 a_a_\a_a` D49@@= J62C]k^Am
kAmr92CE6C D49@@=D D6CG6 >@C6 E92? b[a__ DEF56?ED 2C@F?5 E96 DE2E6 2?5 DEF56?ED >2J 2EE6?5 7C66 ?@ >2EE6C H96C6 E96J =:G6]k^Am
kAm&?56C E96 C646?E Sce >:==:@?[ 7:G6\J62C 7656C2= 8C2?E[ t56=3=FE E@=5 =2H>2<6CD E96 >@?6J H@F=5 36 FD65 E@ 6DE23=:D9 a_ ?6H 492CE6C D49@@=D[ E@ C6A=:42E6 D6G6? @E96CD[ 2?5 E@ 6IA2?5 7:G6 6I:DE:?8[ 9:89\BF2=:EJ 492CE6C D49@@=D]k^Am
kAm%96 7@4FD H@F=5 36 @? 2E\C:D< DEF56?ED 2?5 8C62E6C 65F42E:@?2= @AA@CEF?:E:6D[ t56=3=FE E@=5 =2H>2<6CD]k^Am
kAm%96 >@?6J H@F=5 2=D@ 2==@H E96 56A2CE>6?E E@ 255 EH@ AC@8C2> DA64:2=:DED[ AC@G:56 255:E:@?2= EC2:?:?8 E@ 492CE6C D49@@= DE277D[ :>AC@G6 724:=:E:6D[ 2?5 6IA2?5 36DE AC24E:46D E@ @E96C 492CE6C 2?5 EC25:E:@?2= D49@@=D[ 96 HC@E6 =2H>2<6CD]k^Am
kAmqFE E96 y@:?E {68:D=2E:G6 u:D42= r@>>:EE66 EFC?65 5@H? E96 7:CDE :?DE2==>6?E @7 S`_ >:==:@? @7 E96 8C2?E =2DE H66< @? 2 A2CE:D2? f\b G@E6]k^Am
kAm$@[ H92E :D E96 AC@3=6> H:E9 2446AE:?8 E96 7656C2= >@?6Jnk^Am
kAmx? 2 H@C5[ 7F?5:?8]k^Am
kAm$E2E6 256BF24J 8C2?ED AC@G:56 23@FE Sb[f__ A6C DEF56?E E@ EC25:E:@?2= AF3=:4 D49@@=D 2?5 :?:E:2==J E@ 492CE6C D49@@=D] w@H6G6C[ 2D E96 a__f C6G:6H ?@E65[ E92E :D ?@E 6?@F89 E@ >2<6 492CE6C D49@@=D 7:?2?4:2==J G:23=6 H:E9@FE =@@<:?8 E@ @FED:56 D@FC46D 7@C C6G6?F6 36D:56D EF:E:@?]k^Am
kAm(9:=6 EC25:E:@?2= D49@@=D FD6 =@42= AC@A6CEJ E2I 5@==2CD E@ “DFAA=6>6?E” DE2E6 2:5[ 492CE6C D49@@=D 5@ ?@E 92G6 E96 23:=:EJ E@ E2A :?E@ E92E C6G6?F6 DEC62> 2?5 4@?D6BF6?E=J =2H>2<6CD :? E96 A2DE 76H J62CD 92G6 :?4C62D65 DE2E6 A6C AFA:= 2:5 E@ 492CE6C D49@@=D]k^Am
kAmrFCC6?E=J 492CE6C D49@@=D C646:G6 ?@E BF:E6 EH:46 E96 A6C AFA:= 2>@F?E EC25:E:@?2= D49@@=D C646:G6] p?5 :? E96 DE2E6 @A6C2E:?8 3F586E 2AAC@G65 7@C E96 a_a_\a_a` 7:D42= J62C[ 492CE6C D49@@=D H:== C646:G6 5:DA2C:EJ 2:5 E@ 96=A DEF56?ED 7C@> AC@A6CEJ\A@@C D49@@= 5:DEC:4ED]k^Am
kAmw@H6G6C[ E96C6 :D 2 7:?:E6 =:>:E @? DE2E6 2:5 :? 2?J 8:G6? J62C D@ 9@H :E :D 5:GG:65 FA 364@>6D 2? :DDF6 – 2?5 :E 5:5]k^Am
kAmkDEC@?8m%96 >@?6Jk^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAm&D:?8 32D:4 >2E9[ :7 2?@E96C b[a__ DEF56?ED @C >@C6 8@ E@ E96 ?6H 492CE6C D49@@=D[ E92E >62?D D49@@= 5:DEC:4ED H:== =@D6 23@FE S`c >:==:@? :? DE2E6 2:5 E96J H6C6 C646:G:?8 3FE E92E H@F=5 “7@==@H E96 DEF56?E” E@ 2 492CE6C D49@@=]k^Am
kAmp?5 E96 DE2E6 AC@G:56D 2? 255:E:@?2= Sb[c__ A6C AFA:= E@ 492CE6C D49@@=D D@ 2? 255:E:@?2= S`` >:==:@? H:== 36 4@>:?8 @FE @7 E96 256BF2E6 65F42E:@? 7F?5:?8 A@@=]k^Am
kAm%96 AC@3=6> 7@C >2?J AC@A6CEJ\A@@C D49@@= 5:DEC:4ED E92E 92G6 E96 >@DE 5:77:4F=E E:>6 C2:D:?8 >@?6J 7@C 65F42E:@? H:== 36 6I246C32E65 3642FD6 E96 =@DD @7 D@>6 DEF56?ED H:== 2=D@ >62? E96 =@DD @7 255:E:@?2= DE2E6 2:5 7@C A@G6CEJ[ DA64:2= 65F42E:@? @C t?8=:D9 2D 2 D64@?5 =2?8F286]k^Am
kAmq642FD6 @7 E96 E9C6D9@=5D 7@C E96 255:E:@?2= DE2E6 2:5[ E96 =@DD @7 2 76H DEF56?ED E@ D@>6 D49@@= 5:DEC:4ED 4@F=5 36 G6CJ D:8?:7:42?E :? DE2E6 5@==2CD]k^Am
kAm%9:D 8C2?E 4@>6D 2E 2 E:>6 H96? E96 =68:D=2EFC6 :?4C62D65 DE2E6 65F42E:@? 2:5 3J 23@FE S`c_ >:==:@? :? E96 4FCC6?E @A6C2E:?8 3F586E[ E96 3:886DE :?4C62D6 D:?46 65F42E:@? 7F?5:?8 H2D C6G2>A65 :? =:89E @7 E96 r=2C6>@?E 65F42E:@? =2HDF:E EH@ 564256D 28@]k^Am
kAm$@[ @? @?6 92?5 E96 DE2E6 :D 8:G:?8 D49@@= 5:DEC:4ED[ 6DA64:2==J A@@C 5:DEC:4ED[ >@C6 DE2E6 >@?6J[ 2?5 @? E96 @E96C[ E2<:?8 :E 2H2J :7 D@>6 @7 E96:C DEF56?ED =62G6 7@C 492CE6C D49@@=D]k^Am
kAm%96 3F586E 2=D@ 4@?E2:?65 2 DEF5J 4@>>:DD:@? E@ 56E6C>:?6 E96 ECF6 4@DE @7 2? 256BF2E6 65F42E:@? — 46CE2:?=J >@C6 E92? Sb[f__ 2 AFA:= @C 6G6? Sf[`__ — 2?5 E@ C64@>>6?5 A@E6?E:2= A2E9D E@ 2 >@C6 6BF:E23=6 65F42E:@? 7F?5:?8 DJDE6>]k^Am
kAm%96 :DDF6 :D E96 DE2E6’D 65F42E:@? A@=:4J 2?5 ?@E D@ >F49 A2CE:D2? A@=:E:4D 2D D@>6 4=2:>]k^Am
kAms@6D :E >2<6 D6?D6 E@ 6IA2?5 492CE6C D49@@=D 2E 2 E:>6 H96? E96 DE2E6 :D ECJ:?8 E@ 96=A AC@A6CEJ\A@@C 5:DEC:4ED AC@G:56 8C62E6C @AA@CEF?:E:6D 7@C E96:C DEF56?ED 2?5 2 D=:89E=J >@C6 6BF:E23=6 7F?5:?8 DJDE6>nk^Am
kAmkDEC@?8m!@=:4J 4@?EC@=k^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAm%92E :D 2 A@=:4J :DDF6 2?5 A@=:4J 92D 2=H2JD 366? E96 AFCG:6H @7 E96 =68:D=2EFC6[ 2?5 ?@E F?\6=64E65 DE2E6 3FC62F4C2ED @C E96 6I64FE:G6 3C2?49]k^Am
kAm(9:=6 E96 =68:D=2EFC6 92D DFAA@CE65 6IA2?5:?8 492CE6C D49@@=D :? E96 A2DE[ E92E 5@6D ?@E >62? :E 5@6D E@52J 6G6? :7 E96 4@>>:DD:@?6C @7 65F42E:@? 36=:6G6D 96 :D D:>A=J 7@==@H:?8 AC64656?E]k^Am
kAmxE :D 62DJ E@ A@CEC2J E9:D 32EE=6 2D E96 65F42E:@? F?:@?D G6CDFD E9@D6 D66<:?8 E@ 5646?EC2=:K6 E96 DE2E6’D 65F42E:@? DJDE6>[ 3FE :E :D >F49 >@C6 23@FE H9@ 4@?EC@=D AF3=:4 A@=:4Ji E96 =68:D=2EFC6 @C E96 6I64FE:G6 3C2?49]k^Am
kAm%9:D :D ?@E E96 7:CDE 5:D28C66>6?E @G6C H9@ 56E6C>:?6D AF3=:4 A@=:4J 2?5 :E H:== ?@E 36 E96 =2DE[ 3FE :E :D @?6 @7 E96 >@C6 6IA=@D:G6 A@=:E:42==J]k^Am
kAmp? 6=64E:@? J62C :D 2AAC@249:?8 2?5 H9J H2DE6 2?J @AA@CEF?:EJ E@ 567:?6 E96 @AA@D:E:@? :? E96 H@CDE =:89E A@DD:3=6]k^Am
kAm%96 244FD2E:@?D 92G6 ;FDE 368F?]k^Am
kAmk6>ms:DE2?E s@>6 3J G6E6C2? ;@FC?2=:DE v2CCJ #2J?@ 6IA=@C6D 2 3C@256C A6CDA64E:G6 @? E96 $E2E6 w@FD6 2?5 DE2E6 92AA6?:?8D 7@C k2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^x?s6AE9}w]@C8Qmx?s6AE9}w]@C8k^2m] w6 >2J 36 C624965 2E k2 9C67lQ>2:=E@i82CCJ]C2J?@oJ29@@]4@>Qm82CCJ]C2J?@oJ29@@]4@>k^2mk^6>mk^Am
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.