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What charter law should look like
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It’s been a crazy legislative season for charter schools -- crazy good in most instances.
There is just something magical when the US Education Secretary holds up a goody bag of a few billion dollars and tells lawmakers they may have some, if…
What Education Secretary Arne Duncan and President Obama want--charter schools--has been made crystal clear. But just like when a parent uses that phrase to a kid, the inevitable question which follows is always “What does that mean?”
Okay I am pushing my rose-colored goggles up on my nose, but let’s assume it is a mere definition requested, and not a desire to squeak by with minimum compliance to participate in the dividend fun(D).
Well, the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools has decided to help lawmakers out and published a new model law for state charter school legislation. The suggested law includes:
* Equitable Access to Capital Funding and Facilities including multiple provisions such as: a per-pupil facility allowance (equal to statewide average per-pupil capital costs); facility grant and revolving loan programs; a Charter School Bonding Authority (or access to all relevant state tax-exempt bonding authorities available to all other public schools); the right of first refusal to purchase or lease at or below fair market value a closed or unused public school facility or property; and clarity that no state or local entity may impose any facility-related requirements that are stricter than those applied to traditional public schools.
* Authorizer Accountability System Required, whereby all authorizers must affirm interest to become an authorizer (except for a legislatively-created state public charter school commission) and participate in an authorizer reporting program based on objective data, as overseen by some state-level entity with the power to remedy.
* Performance-Based Charter Contracts required, with such contracts created as separate post-application documents between authorizers and public charter schools detailing at least academic performance expectations, operational performance expectations, and school and authorizer rights and duties
Nelson Smith, President and CEO of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools says:
“Our intent is for the model law to be useful to the 41 jurisdictions with charter laws as well as the 10 states that have yet to enact a charter law.While we recognize that a high-quality charter school sector requires high-quality authorizers, outstanding school leaders and teachers, effective support organizations, and engaged parents and community members – the foundation for a strong sector lies in supportive laws and regulations.”
Todd Ziebarth, the Vice President of Policy for the Alliance who led the year-long project adds:
“In the past 18 years many important lessons have been learned about what works to support the growth of high-quality charter schools and what doesn’t. The time is right for a new model law that supports more and better public charter schools based upon lessons learned from experience, research, and analysis.”
Well our legislature friends, there you have it. The New Charter School Model Law can easily be adopted by your state through filling in the blanks with the simple terms provided through the Alliance.
And when in doubt, ask not what kids in charter schools can do for you, but what you can do for kids in charter schools.
If you need to use a lifeline and call a friend on this topic, contact www.publiccharters.org.
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