Charter School Law Revisions Proposed

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Charter School Law Revisions Proposed

Special Report - November 16, 2007
A commission designed to study the effectiveness of North Carolina’s charter school program has issued an initial proposal recommending that the N.C. General Assembly and State Board of Education (SBE) approve more flexible guidelines for the creation of new charter schools. The Blue Ribbon Charter School Commission, which was convened by the SBE in June, voted to approve preliminary recommendations on November 14 that did not include raising North Carolina’s charter school cap of 100 schools. However, the Commission did propose several new guidelines that would adjust the cap to ostensibly allow more charter schools in the state.

Dr. Michael Fedewa, chair of the Blue Ribbon Commission and Superintendent of Schools for the Diocese of Raleigh, said that Commission members felt enough demand exists for charter schools to warrant the authorization of new charters. The preliminary guidelines would allow six new charter schools per year and would exempt from the 100-school cap high performing charter schools or school districts that were applying for a charter for the first time. “Applications from these kinds of school districts wouldn’t count against the six new schools that would be authorized,” Fedewa said, which could potentially allow many more charter schools in the state. The Blue Ribbon Commission is scheduled to meet again in December to finalize the recommendations, which then must be voted on by the SBE and General Assembly.

For years, school choice advocates have sought to either raise or remove the cap on charter schools in North Carolina, but legislative efforts have always been derailed in the General Assembly. Several bills were introduced during the last legislative session, including one to study the performance of charter schools, but none of them gained approval.

Commenting on the recommendations, Bill Brooks, president of the North Carolina Family Policy Council said, "Although removing the cap would be the best solution, the recommendations of the commission should be heard clearly by lawmakers across the state. Our public schools continue to need the kind of innovation and excellence that charter schools bring into the education mix. We continually hear from parents who are frustrated by the lack of available slots in existing charter schools."