| |
Long-awaited charter school
bill gets passing grade in Olympia
After nearly a decade of
arduous negotiations, lawmakers have reached agreement on a bill to
allow a limited number of charter schools in Washington.
Charter schools are independent public schools that are exempt from many
rules and regulations traditional schools adhere to, but are held to the
same standards of achievement and accountability. The House of
Representatives today approved House Bill 2295, which would authorize 45
charter schools to be created statewide, either through the creation of
new schools or the conversion of existing public schools.
Fifth District state Reps. Jay Rodne and
Glenn Anderson said Washington
was one of the first states to discuss the idea of charter schools and
one of only a few that has yet to implement them.
“It’s time we show the courage to take this step in educational
opportunity,” said Anderson, R-Fall City. “We have nothing to fear by
offering this choice to parents and communities looking for innovation
in our schools and creating the best chance for every child to learn. We
have worked on this issue for years. This is a thoughtful, well-crafted,
and well-intentioned piece of legislation to enact charter schools. The
bottom line is it would benefit kids. It’s time to set politics aside,
and move ahead for the sake of the students.”
Under the bill approved
today, converting an existing school to a charter school would require
approval of the local school board. A new charter school could be
created by a school board, or under limited circumstances, by the Office
of Superintendent of Public Instruction. Charter schools would be
subject to regular independent performance audits and the charter would
be revoked if the school did not attain student achievement levels at
least equal to other similar student populations in the district.
“There is a strong element of accountability and local control built
into this charter school plan,” said Rodne, R-Snoqualmie. “Authority and
oversight will continue to rest with the locally elected school board,
and the decision to enroll a student in a charter school rests solely
with the parent or guardian. This taps into the desire of parents and
local educators to provide choice and achieve excellence by using
proven, innovative models to meet the educational needs of students in
their communities.”
The charter schools would
operate on five-year contracts. In addition to the requirement of
meeting academic standards, a charter may be revoked if a school
violates health and safety laws.
# # #
For more information, contact:
Bobbi Cussins, Public
Information Officer - (360) 786-7252
|
|