Overview 1. What is a charter school? 2. Charter schools vs. public schools 3. What charter schools might offer 4. The charter school critique 5. Charter schools in Washington state 6. Resources for further learning and perspectives

Charter schools, local and national

What is a charter school?  Charter school = K-12 school funded by both public and private monies with autonomy established by its charter and governing body  NOT a private school, but has similar characteristics  Approved by an oversight committee  Approved charters set parameters for school  In WA state  Non-profit  Non-religious  Politically unaffiliated  Open to all students  Tuition-free

Public School Federal funding Local/State funding Private funding Typical public school funding structure

Public vs. Charter Schools Public School  Funded primarily by public dollars  In theory, must educate all students in service area  Students generally live in the neighborhood  Generally bound by teacher union, state regulations for hiring/staffing  Accountable to local school board  School day/year length, curriculum set by state Charter School  Funded by a combination of public and private dollars  May be selective about student population  Students apply or enter lottery to attend  May create its own hiring criteria and decisions  Accountable to its own governing body  School day/year length, curriculum set by school

What might charter schools offer?  The school choice argument  Students may choose which school they would like to attend  The freedom of autonomy argument  Charter schools may set their own school structure and curricular agenda  The freedom to fund and develop resources  Charter schools are not bound by fixed amount of funds per year

The charter school critique  Charter schools pose resource competition to public schools  In some cases, charter schools have influenced the closing of local public schools  Charter schools can be selective with student population demographics  Students with special needs, immigrant students, underrepresented populations  Schools may be selective about student population to influence standardized test scores  Funding and accountability  Funding from private investors could influence school decisions

WA state charter schools  Initiative 1240 approved by voters in November 2012  Established commission for oversight  Charters must be approved by commission  Application includes detailed funding structure and development plan  Came after years of controversy and failed attempts to establish charter schools within the state  1 open currently, 7 open more open this fall  First Place Scholars Charter School  First charter school in the state  Currently on improvement plan  Converted from private to charter school

Further resources  Center for Reinventing Public Education Center for Reinventing Public Education  UW Bothell-based  Advocacy organization  Washington State Charter Schools Association Washington State Charter Schools Association  Membership consists of currently approved charter schools  Offers workshops and seminars on writing a charter  Washington State Charter School Commission Washington State Charter School Commission  Oversees charter school applications  Writes annual charter school report for state government

Questions?  Anthony Longoria