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This one’s from New York. Is this what we call efficient use of taxpayer dollars for nonprofit charters? “The new offices will cost [Eva Moskowitz of Success Academy Charter Schools] organization $31 million over 15 years, according to its most recent financial report. The same report shows Moskowitz received an eye-popping $567,000 during the 2012-2013 school year. That’s a raise of $92,000 from the previous year, and more than double the $212,000 paid to Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña. . . The move to Wall Street took effect just months before the much-publicized battle between Moskowitz and Mayor de...

Is this what we want for Kansas? Florida is no model when it comes to charters. “Among those vying to open new charter schools, which are privately operated but publicly funded: • A group that managed three new charter schools in Broward and Palm Beach counties that opened this year — and then shut down on the first day of school. • The founder of two charter schools that failed in 2007 amid accusations of stolen money, shoddy record keeping and parent complaints, according to state and local records. A state investigation later chastised school directors for “virtually...

“’It’s absolutely correct to say that overall spending is up,’ [KASB’s Mark] Tallman said. “ ‘In terms of total dollars, that’s correct. Why districts, though, are still feeling the pinch is because none of that is what allows you to pay salaries or hire teachers or add programs for kids or deal with operating costs.’ “Tallman also noted that the increased contributions to the pension fund have driven the total dollar increase. “’That’s why I think both sides, if you want to put it that way, are telling the truth. If your argument is we’re spending more money...