Charter schools: an unnecessary option according to principals

<h2>&&num;8220&semi;There is no need to have a special category of charter schools&comma; in New Zealand&comma; said president of the New Zealand Principals&&num;8217&semi; Federation&comma;  Whetu Cormick&period; <&sol;h2>&NewLine;<blockquote>&NewLine;<p>&&num;8220&semi;New Zealand has more than enough schooling options to cover everything we need&period;&&num;8221&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<&sol;blockquote>&NewLine;<p>The latest suggestion that a <em>Treaty Claim<&sol;em> be launched to keep the controversial schools going because M&amacr;ori are doing better under the charter school system&comma; surprised Cormick on a recent Newshub Nation broadcast&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Cormick suggested that charter schools had not been open long enough to show any sustainable gains for M&amacr;ori and no research had been undertaken to provide evidence of the claim&period; He did not believe that a <em>Treaty Claim<&sol;em> would have substance and would likely be rejected&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<blockquote>&NewLine;<p>&&num;8220&semi;If any charter school is doing well for M&amacr;ori or any other students&comma; there is the option to negotiate with the Minister to keep that school open as a designated character school or private school or state integrated school&comma;&&num;8221&semi; he said&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<&sol;blockquote>&NewLine;<p>Minister of Education&comma; Chris Hipkins&comma; has been clear in his handling of charter schools that he will be negotiating with each school individually&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<blockquote>&NewLine;<p>&&num;8220&semi;Mainstream schools are very aware of the need to lift achievement for M&amacr;ori and Pacific Island students&comma;&&num;8221&semi; said Cormick&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<&sol;blockquote>&NewLine;<p>&&num;8220&semi;There are now a number of excellent initiatives being implemented in many public schools to address the issues that have led to M&amacr;ori and Pacific Island students disengaging form learning&period; One of these is the M&amacr;ori Achievement Collaborations&comma; a professional learning and development model for school principals&comma; provided through the M&amacr;ori Principals&&num;8217&semi; Association&comma;Te Akatea&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<blockquote>&NewLine;<p>&&num;8220&semi;The programme is now operating in over one hundred and fifty schools&comma; influencing tens of thousands of young people&comma; and University of Auckland research shows this programme is having a positive impact on M&amacr;ori students&&num;8217&semi; engagement and achievement&comma;&&num;8221&semi; said Cormick&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<&sol;blockquote>&NewLine;<p>&&num;8220&semi;These are the kinds of initiatives we need to support our M&amacr;ori tamariki so that every school can be a great school&period;&&num;8221&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;