(This post came from the official "Stuff that came up at last week's SUNY meeting that wasn't as important as the fact that there is no more room left for additional charter schools under the cap, but is interesting nonetheless" file.)

Back in December, the Albany school district put out a press release that included claims (among others) that charters in Albany are filled with empty seats and that the expansion and contraction (not to mention the revocation) of charter schools there has caused class sizes to increase in the Albany district schools, which she claimed had a disastrous effect on student achievement

James Merriman, executive director of SUNY's Charter Schools Institute, decided to do something that most people never do with public school officials who make these kinds of claims: he asked her what the heck she was talking about.

In a letter to Supt. Eva Joseph two days later, Merriman noted first that no charter in Albany (or the surrounding area) has ever been revoked. He then asked for the evidence that backs up some of the sweeping generalizations that were presented as facts in the official press release. Wrote Merriman:

As to this claim [that charter schools are causing class sizes to increase] it
would be helpful if you could both indicate by school and year the number of
times enrollment in charter schools has increased class size and the number of
times that such enrollment has resulted in a reduction in class size. Further,
in light of the research on class size, including the fact that seemingly
insignificant increases or decreases in class size seem to have little if any
effect on student achievement - and that generally no statistically significant
effect has been found until class size is reduced below 16 children - it would
also be helpful to have the baseline class size and the magnitude increase and
decrease for each change in class size due to enrollment in charter schools as
well as the research basis for the claim that the increases that the media
advisory asserts to have taken place have "jeopardized student achievement."

Joseph's response is printed below in its entirety:

Dear Mr. Merriman:

Thank you for your recent correspondence regarding the City School District
of Albany's media advisory dated December 12, 2005.

I am certain you can appreciate the demands of running a
comprehensive school district as well as the ever-increasing management
responsibilities associated with eight charter schools.

While considering your request for information, please be advised that I
stand by the claims made in the media advisory.

Yours truly.

Eva C.
Joseph, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

I think that means she kind of, sort of, doesn't actually have the back-up Merriman was looking for. But in Dr. Joseph's defense, her schools appear to be unraveling, which makes actually backing up your sweeping assertions less of a priority on the hierarchy of superintendent needs.

Bottom line: Dr. Joseph, and other school leaders like her elsewhere, has a right to say completely asinine things if she wants. But it would be nice if elected officials and others would expend 1/100th of the effort put forth by Merriman to challenge some of the stuff that comes flying out of her mouth every now and then. Do they really think the free pass is helping kids?