The education community was rocked late Friday afternoon when the Supreme Court in the state of Washington handed down a 6-3 decision that charter schools do not qualify as “common schools” and are unconstitutional.
Voters there passed Initiative 1240 in 2012 to allow charter schools. (This vote received a lot of attention because of the amount of money spent by charter school supporters urging a yes vote.) Up to 40 charters could be opened with five years. One opened at the beginning of the 2014-15 school years and eight more were set to open this year.
The ruling hinged upon the issue that charter schools in Washington are controlled by a charter school board, not by local voters, and therefore, should not receive funding intended for public schools.
The Alabama legislature passed a charter school bill in this year’s regular session.
The bill states: GOVERNING BOARD. The independent board of a public charter school that is party to the charter contract with the authorizer. A governing board shall have at lest 20 percent of it’s membership be parents of students who attend or have attended the public charter school for at least one academic year. Before the first day of instruction, the 20 percent membership requirement may be satisfield by parents who intend to have their student attend the public ahrter school.
Will this decision have impact in Alabama–or any other states? The $64 million question. No doubt it will send both proponents and opponents of charters to the drawing board throughout the country.
Here is the bill passed by Alabama.
Thanks Larry, I saw the article yesterday …AND….Here is the link to the fiscal note attached to the Charter Bill passed by the Alabama Legislature:
http://alisondb.legislature.state.al.us/ALISON/SearchableInstruments/2015RS/FiscalNotes/FN-32554.htm
In the fiscal note, it states that 4 people will be hired to administer the Charter Schools in Alabama: Quote from fiscal note:
“In addition, the provisions of this bill will further increase the administrative and fiscal obligations of the State Department of Education by an estimated $500,000 annually for personnel and other departmental costs associated with hiring an additional 4 employees to carry out the provisions of this bill”. This hasn’t been published or even discussed. I have been waiting to see who will appoint these people and when they will be employed.. Also, important in the fiscal note is the following quote: “employees in start-up public charter schools may elect to participate in TRS and PEEHIP and the election to participate once made shall be irrevocable” SO THEY DO NOT HAVE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE RETIREMENT SYSTEM OR PEEHIP… but the choice they make the first year is IRREVOCABLE??? Who writes this stuff?
Larry,
Thanks for another timely analysis of Education in Alabama… And issues which will impact Public Education here.
I am not sure how it is accomplished, but we need to get you a link on these timely and important blog posts… A click-through link where your readers can quickly share your posts on various social media sites… As well, to forward it to others via email.
Great job. I will see if my I.T. team can set you up a link for you to consider adding to your posts… And it is entirely possible such a link is already here and I simply can’t see it in my IPhone.
Again, Thanks!
A new group have been put together at ALSDE to work on charter schools. To my knowledge, all of them are reassigned ALSDE employees. Another unfunded mandate from the legislature, same as with the accountability act. This is the same state ed department Rep. Ed Henry says we should abolish, though he keeps voting to give them more to do.
Thanks for the idea. Have sent this along to several friends who are far more IT inclined that I am. (Which means they can use an electric pencil sharpener)