Charter Schools - Standing for Public Education

• PPTA submissions on the Education and Training Amendment Bill
• Branch Resolution Against Charter School Conversion
• Branches that have signed the Resolution

‘PPTA Te Wehengarua supports a fully funded public education system’ says President Chris Abercrombie

We have a large variety of schools already in the New Zealand system which, compared to other countries, is already highly devolved.

“We’ve got huge flexibility that already exists within the system”. The existence of state, state-integrated, special character, alternative education, activity centres, private schools, co-educational schools, single-sex schools show that the system offers a range of choice for whānau and communities.

Abercrombie said the focus should be on public education through which the vast majority of students received their education.

“Building up our public school system, funding it properly, having qualified registered teachers in front of every young person and having subject specialists, that should be our focus. We should not be focused on getting public money to private individuals to run schools as they see fit.”

The official explanation for wanting to see charter schools in Aotearoa New Zealand is to improve outcomes for priority learners by allowing innovation, and supposedly encourage underperforming state schools to improve in a ‘competitive market’.

We do not believe that this competitive schools’ model has any place in a public education system. We also do not see any evidence - internationally or locally - for charter schools improving the public system. In fact, outcomes for students in charter schools are not usually any better than their peers in public schools.

Why does PPTA Te Wehengarua Oppose Charter Schools?

It’s who we are

• We are the kaitiaki | guardians of public education
• We have a long standing opposition to privatisation and neo-liberal reform agenda
• We are member driven, with robust democratic structures

Specific Objections

• Charter schools shift resources from the public to the private sector
• There is a lack of transparency expected with public funding and spending
• Charter schools undermine the professionalism of teachers
• Charter schools undermine the connection between schools and communities
• Charter schools have an impact on the school network
• Charter schools have had inadequate evaluation and Health and Safety processes
• Charter schools are politically driven, not educationally focused.

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