As prospects for a bill allowing charter schools dims in the Washington Legislature, some in the so-called “education reform” movement are considering compromise options or again asking the voters about it.
By Brian M. Rosenthal
(From The Seattle Times, February 26th 2012)
With a proposal to introduce charter schools into Washington still stalled in the Legislature, those seeking to shake up the state education system are considering other avenues, including again taking the issue to the ballot box, several leaders of the so-called “education reform” movement said last week.
The leaders said they prefer to work with lawmakers on a compromise that would allow for at least a handful of charters — public and free but independent schools that use unconventional techniques. But resistance from the Legislature’s controlling Democratic Party has made that increasingly unlikely as the session nears its conclusion.
“Because the teachers union and (Democratic) leadership won’t consider lifting Washington’s ban on charter schools, there are some rumblings of an initiative,” said Lisa Macfarlane, state director of Democrats for Education Reform, a political-action committee.
Macfarlane and others, especially in the business community, support charters because their unorthodox methods sometimes help poor and minority students, who struggle in normal schools.
But some note that many charters perform the same as or worse than traditional public schools. And others worry about charters’ ability to hire nonunion employees or partner closely with outside organizations.