Hearing Today on Local Control of Charters

by: Jersey Jazzman

Thu Feb 02, 2012 at 08:54:39 AM EST

Today, the Assembly Education Committee is scheduled have a hearing on charter schools; specifically, on a bill that would require local approval for charter applications and expansion.

Mother Crusader reports that the New Jersey Charter Schools Association - which is funded by the Walton Foundation, among others - is asking its members to call members of the committee and tell them to kill the bill.

After the jump, find the names and numbers of the Education Committee members. Tell them you support A1877 and A2147, which will require local approval for charters, and increase charter accountability and reporting requirements.

Jersey Jazzman :: Hearing Today on Local Control of Charters

What the NJCSA is apparently not telling its members is:

- Charter schools do not do a better job at teaching children when factors like poverty and proficiency in English are taken into account.

- There is more and more evidence that many New Jersey charter schools serve different populations of students than public schools - populations that do not include students in poverty or student who have special needs.

- The charter approval process in New Jersey has become dangerously politicized, to the point where schools are being forced on outstanding public school districts.

- Because those school districts are forced to fund charter schools, they will either have to raise taxes or cut programs.

- The children who are the most expensive to educate - children with autism, cognitive disabilities, physical disabilities, emotional and behavioral disabilities, and living in poverty - will not be served by charters.

I've discussed this issue with some people who are concerned that local approval of charters is fraught with risk. They worry that special interests may take over school boards simply to approve charters of questionable value. Maybe - but that's why there needs to be state approval as well. We need a two-tiered system that sets a high bar for charter approval.

Will that slow the proliferation of charters? Yes, and that's a good thing. Any new school funded with taxpayer dollars should only open when there is a very high chance for success - especially if it is draining money from other schools.

Assembly Education Committee Members

-Patrick Diegnan, Jr.
908-757-1677

-Bonnie Watson Coleman
609-292-0500

-Ralph Caputo
973-450-0484

Mila Jasey
~~973~~762-1886

Angelica Jimenez
~~201~~223-4247

Troy Singelton
856-461-3997

Connie Wagner
201-576-9199

David Wolfe
732-840-9028

Scott Rumana
973-237-1362