Funny how those talking points come true!

April 2013:

The Republicans who control Nashville rushed through committee a measure to create a state charter school authorizer — a centralized government body that strips school decisions away from local boards. Charter schools approved by the state charger authorizer would have to be funded by local taxpayers whether there was money available or not.

That didn't quite make it, but for-profit Charter Schools won't give up:

John DeBerry, Tennesse State Representative: ‘I think all of us on both sides of the aisle realize that Charter schools allowed us to go in a different direction and to use creativity in the way that we educate.

Beth Harwell, Tennessee Speaker of the House: ‘ It was wonderful to me that our first and most important priority was the quality of the charter schools that we would have in the state of Tennessee. I think I’m most impressed that we really achieved bipartisan support; both Democrats and Republicans see the good that can come from charter schools in this state.’

May 2013: Yeah, about "that good", how are Tennessee Charter Schools achieving that good?

Students are leaving in large numbers at a particularly important time of the school year, and the consequences may have an impact on test scores. Charter schools are literally built on the idea that they will outperform public, zoned schools. They are popular because they promise and deliver results, but some new numbers are raising big questions about charter schools.

One of the first things a visitor sees when stepping into Kipp Academy is a graph that shows how Kipp is outperforming Metro schools in every subject.

However, Kipp Academy is also one of the leaders in another stat that is not something to crow about. When it comes to the net loss of students this year, charter schools are the top eight losers of students.

In short Charter schools are "outperforming" public schools on test scores by dumping their underperforming students on public schools just as testing starts. And then crowing about their awesome results.

Yeah, seems just unfair enough for talking points.

[cross-posted at Firedoglake]