Facts to Consider:
- 20,000 – Number of students on charter school waiting lists in North Carolina.
- 100 – Maximum number of charter schools North Carolina can establish under current law.
- 0 – Number of Charter Schools on state’s “low performing” schools list.
During the first week of the new legislative session, Sen. Richard Stevens (R-Wake) introduced SB-8[CI1] . The bill is regarded as the most significant charter school legislation since the passage of the charter school bill in 1996. Among other things, the legislation removes North Carolina’s state-imposed cap on charter schools, establishes a Public Schools Charter School Commission (PCSC) and makes it easier for charter schools to expand enrollments. The Senate approved the bill last week. The bill is now under consideration in the House.
SB-8: What the Bill Does:
- Eliminates the Charter School Cap: The bill removes language limiting the number of charter schools to 100. PCSC would become responsible for determining the number of charter schools by virtue of their approval or rejection of charter applicants.
- Enrollment: Under current law, charter schools who wish to expand enrollment by more than 10 percent can only do so with the approval of the State Board of Education. SB-8 says charter school enrollment will be determined annually by the board of directors of the school and PCSC. PCSC cannot restrict the number of students enrolled in a charter school.
- Charter School Commission: Establishes Public Charter School Commission (PCSC) to authorize and administer charter schools. PCSC will be composed of 11 members. Appointments will be made by the governor (2); Senate (4); and House of Representatives (4). The Superintendent of Instruction or his/her designee will be a permanent Commission member. The State Board of Education can veto any PCSC decision by a three-fourths vote. SB -8 requires the Office of Charter Schools to report to PCSC.
- Approval: PCSC shall approve all charter school applications. If an application is declined, applicants can request reconsideration.
- Finances: Allows counties to provide funds to charter schools for expenses related to the acquisition of property, construction or renovation of buildings or school furniture and instructional equipment.
- Teachers: Credits charter school teachers who return to employment in local administrative units – without a break in service – for years of service for purposes of salary schedule, longevity pay and earned leave.
What the Bill Does Not Do:
- Alter Composition of Schools: SB-8 retains the requirement that charter schools “reasonably reflect” the racial and ethnic composition of the general surrounding population of the school administrative unit in which the charter school is located. Public Schools that convert to charter schools will give enrollment preference for two years to students who reside in the enrollment area.
- Weaken Accountability: Charter schools remain subject to the audit requirements of the School Budget and Fiscal Control Act and the reporting requirements of the Uniform Education Reporting System.
- Transportation: Currently some charter schools provide transportation to students. SB-8 allows schools to decide if they would like to provide transportation to students.
- Foster Discrimination: State law forbids charter schools from turning away any student based on an individual’s educational needs. Not all charter schools are equipped with the staff and resources to address the educational needs of all students. In 2008-09, 9.4 percent of charter school students were exceptional needs children. Over the same time period, approximately 7.8 percent of traditional public school students were exceptional needs students.
I guess you forgot to mention the part about how this bill will strip public schools of the money needed to provide things like preschool, ROTC, free lunch, field trips, etc
Please make sure you report how charter schools will receive a portion of public school funds for programs charter schools DON’T EVEN OFFER.
Also, I guess you forgot the part about how charter schools can kick any child out anytime they want because “this may not be the right place for your child”.
I could go on, but I have a feeling that you will not correct your statements anyway.
And you think district school systems don’t try to push students off on charter schools? HAHA! Wow…people will say anything to try to make a point.
The district school systems are threatened because charter schools do as good a job or better and they do it for less money. Let EVERY school in NC operate as a charter school, where parents and the community of that specific school and not central offices and boards (with people with no vested interest in these schools), make decisions to affect policy and procedures. Nope, can’t do that. Heaven forbid we accept the fact that families are demanding more charter schools BECAUSE of what they experience in big, bloated systems.
I fogot to add how frustrated the lobbyists for the NCAE, School Boards, and School Administrators have become because they have lost their ability to arrange “last minute, quiet passage” of legislation. If if they deny saying it like that to members, they are not being truthful!
I admit, change scares people…but the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result! It’s time for a change (where did we hear that before?)!!! And HE is a SUPPORTER of charter schools…
Not every family has the money to put their child/children in charter schools. The public education system helps with those less fortunate. If you have enough money to place your child into a charter school, then you should have enough to keep them there without depending on public funds if it’s so much cheaper. If anyone thinks that public schools are so bad now, what exactly will making them share their funds do? I’m certain it will not help them.