Note from SA Charter Moms: Nosotros are proud to share invitee posts from hallmonitor covering San Antonio's public schools.

San Antonio Charter Schools app

A couple of weeks ago, Inga Cotton, aka San Antonio Charter Moms, launched a new app. Information technology's a school option tool, list all of the open enrollment programs in San Antonio—charter and district options.

There'southward a ton to say nearly this app. One could comment on female-led app development. Or the fact that it's the first of its kind in San Antonio, which, until now has relied on the legwork of motivated parents to not just discover schools, but to figure out how they perform and what they offer.

I could talk well-nigh all of that, and it would be worth noting. However, what struck me the most about the rollout of the app was this: equity is in the details.

A lot of people have opinions most Cotton, the outspoken, lid-wearing charter school champion whose personal mission sprouted into a blog and blossomed into full blown advocacy.

With my own ears I've heard criticisms from people who don't like the way she operates. I've also seen the more subtle means she's been sidelined by people who don't like what she represents. Watching her over the past few years, I've seen her sort of tiptoe into life as a public figure while her Facebook group exploded, while foundation money poured into the city, while school districts and charter networks duked information technology out at the statehouse and elsewhere.

The whorl out of the San Antonio Charter Moms app said a ton well-nigh who Cotton is and has become, and signaled her intent to finish tiptoeing and to start running.

The app is all. well-nigh. parent. choice. The search filters allow parents to prepare the priorities. Cotton has ever been clear about what she'south about, and she's a truthful believer. You don't have to similar lease schools or magnet programs or choices within districts. Only you can't accuse Cotton of operating in bad organized religion. Lately I've seen a LOT of bad religion arguments going around. People who aren't being upward front about their true concerns or intentions. Cotton is not one of them.

The app was developed as a personal projection by Cotton and a volunteer, and volition be licensed for costless to her not-profit, San Antonio Charter Moms. Nonetheless, because she's articulate on her mission, people shouldn't say, "gotcha!" when they run across the not-profit and the app praised, funded, or conversing with foundations who similar what Cotton is doing.

Here'due south something I in one case didn't know well-nigh foundations like Gates, Walton, Brackenridge, and others: When they like what y'all are doing, those foundations discover you, and figure out how to go on you doing what you're doing. I've watched this play out over and over in a handful of organizations. While it'southward convenient to call back of all funders equally these big, nighttime organizations that put puppets in place all over the country . . . that's but not what I've seen. I'one thousand not saying information technology doesn't ever happen, but seeing a foundation name linked to something is not a adept enough reason to write it off as a boob org, the fingertip of night money, or some other nefarious metaphor.

San Antonio Charter Schools app

There's zip terribly spooky about the information in the app, mostly Texas Teaching Bureau data. While there'southward plenty not to like about how TEA ranks schools, and I agree that data doesn't tell you lot the whole story, it does provide some outside measurement for how schools are doing meeting the most basic requirements.

I desire to digress a bit nigh the whole standardized test affair, especially equally information technology relates to ed reform. I'chiliad not a fan of standardized tests, not for my kids, not for anyone. I hate how they take taken over our schools. I think the current tests we used are too acquiescent to centre class advantages. Nosotros need a amend organisation.

That said, we admittedly must accept objective measurements for educatee achievement.

Nosotros cannot go back to a organisation where the quality of didactics varies from state to state, commune to district, schoolhouse to school, classroom to classroom with no way prove it. We cannot allow the criteria to lean toward the subjective. Because history shows u.s.a. that those with the ability to evaluate are not e'er able to correctly assess students from culture other than their ain. Think of information technology like the long jump vs. figure skating. Even if some kids have to leap from farther dorsum, at least their performance is measured past anxiety and inches. If we go to a panel of judges, we have to reckon with the history of docking points for income and skin color.

I'm all for figuring out how to help kids all jump from the same foul line. I'one thousand all for reckoning with our history of biased judging. But there are more people succeeding at the former than the latter right now.

Back to apps and disinterestedness.

The app is on mobile (iPhone and Android), is being translated into Spanish, and y'all tin sign upward for push button notifications for schools that interest you. Accessibility is everything in equity. Cotton's ain experience with her son, who is on the autism spectrum, convinced her that non every school will be able to serve every kid, regardless of what the Texas Constitution says they should exercise. It would exist prissy, but information technology's non happening this twelvemonth. However, she also saw how much of her educated, privileged chapters was spent finding that school. Had she been required to work 12 hour days, had she not spoken English, had she not had admission to a abode reckoner with reliable internet . . . the search would have been infinitely more difficult, if not impossible.

We tend to see "convenience" as a word for the wealthy. Like it'southward something that rightfully carries a price tag. Like people with less resources should have to search longer, expect longer, travel further, follow upward more frequently. This mindset is how the schoolhouse choice move got hijacked. How lottery systems grew overloaded with people with 100 practiced options, instead of those with one. Getting information into the hands of everyone, having that information come across them where they are, reminding them of application deadlines, lottery dates, and waitlist announcements—that's big for equity.

I've downloaded the app. It's easy to apply, and sort of fun, in the fashion that all search tools are fun. But it also does something to level the playing field. Similar Cotton fiber, I've had the advantage of being vocationally tasked with learning about schools. It fabricated my own school choice journey highly informed, as hers was. Apps like this accept that knowledge and tools gleaned from years of total time earthworks, and make it bachelor to anyone who wants it, and especially to those who need it.

Originally published as "On mobile apps and equity," Hall Monitor, April 24, 2019

Read more:

  • "[Hall Monitor] Three Teachers Who Made Me Say 'Wow' This Year," San Antonio Charter Moms, Apr 13, 2019
  • "[Hall Monitor] The McNeels Cull a School–Role Eight," San Antonio Charter Moms, Feb 23, 2019