A Bronx Tale: Ian Rowe on the Fight for Charter Schools | GoodFellows: John H. Cochrane, Niall Ferguson, Bill Whalen, and Ian Rowe | Hoover Institution
Nov 1, 2023
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Ian Rowe, American Enterprise Institute senior fellow and cofounder of the Bronx-based Vertex Partnership Academies, discusses the future of public education and the role of charter schools. They delve into the resistance against charter schools and the impact of welfare state supporters and teachers unions. The benefits of competition and diversity in education are explored, along with the importance of hands-on skills and potential disruption by AI. The podcast also covers recent elections, the annoyance of woke governments, and differing views on nationalism in sports and the Olympics.
Opposition to charter schools is driven by the desire for control and political influence, rather than the quality of education and student outcomes.
Charter schools like Vertex Partnership Academies in the Bronx face legislative barriers and opposition from teachers unions, despite evidence of their positive impact on improving educational outcomes.
Charter schools serve as a force of competition, compelling district schools to improve and raising educational standards across the board.
Deep dives
Charter schools and the fight against the welfare state
Charter schools have faced opposition from supporters of the welfare state, including the NAACP and teachers unions who often contribute to politicians and organizations like the NAACP. Their opposition is driven by the desire to maintain control and power over resources that come with controlling the local schools. The concern is more focused on job creation and political influence rather than the quality of education and student outcomes.
Ian Rowe's approach to education in the Bronx
Ian Rowe, a pioneer in education, has championed virtue-based education in the Bronx through the establishment of the Vertex Partnership Academies. Overcoming challenges related to poverty and absence of fatherhood, Rowe aims to provide an empowering alternative to public schools in high poverty districts. Public charter schools like Vertex face legislative barriers and opposition from teachers unions, despite evidence showing the positive impact of charter schools in improving educational outcomes and pushing district schools to improve.
Competition and the impact of charter schools
Charter schools, like Success Academies, have proven to be a force of competition that spurs improvement in traditional district schools. As parents have the option to choose high-quality charter schools, district schools are compelled to improve in order to retain students. This competition drives positive network externalities, improving educational standards across the board. The success of charter schools in Harlem, for example, has forced district schools to raise their standards and improve to better serve students.
The challenges of education in poverty-stricken areas
Ian Rowe's experience in the Bronx highlights the significant challenges faced in poverty-stricken areas. High poverty rates, absent fatherhood, and legislative barriers pose obstacles to delivering quality education. The concentration of poverty in these areas, with the absence of educational freedom and school choice, limits the availability of high-quality schools. The struggle lies in reshaping educational systems to provide every child with the opportunity to choose excellent schools, regardless of their economic background.
The need for educational reform and multiple pathways
Ian Rowe emphasizes the need for educational reform to provide multiple pathways for students' future success. In addition to college-focused programs, Rowe's Vertex Partnership Academies offer an IB career model that combines industry credentials and internships to provide students the option of entering the workforce directly after high school. This approach challenges the notion of college as the sole destination post-high school, ensuring that students have diverse educational options and helping prepare them for the realities of the future job market.
Ian Rowe, an American Enterprise Institute senior fellow and cofounder of the Bronx-based Vertex Partnership Academies, joins Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson and John Cochrane to discuss the future of public education and charter schools’ role in the quest for better outcomes.
What lessons does a virtues-based public charter high school in New York City offer to the ideal of education as a path to life success? Ian Rowe, an American Enterprise Institute senior fellow and cofounder of the Bronx-based Vertex Partnership Academies, joins Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson and John Cochrane to discuss the future of public education and charter schools’ role in the quest for better outcomes. After that: Niall and John weigh in on the potential for economic turmoil in a time of global instability; a hypothetical outsider as House Speaker; plus their like and dislike of the Olympic Games.
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