OLYMPIA -- Supporters of a ballot initiative that would allow public school districts to create charter schools will turn in signatures Friday morning.

The Secretary of State's office said this morning the campaign for Initiative 1240 will deliver their petitions to the Elections Division office at 9 a.m. Friday is the last day to turn in signatures for ballot initiatives.

Voters would be asked to approve a proposal similar to one that was introduced with much fanfare in the past legislative session, but never came up for a vote. It would allow the state to form as many as 40 charter schools over the next five years that would be operated as nonprofits with the same academic standards as other public schools but exempt from some regulations on curriculum and budget.

Supporters filed the initiative in May, and after it was reviewed by the attorney general's office and went through court challenges by both sides on the ballot title, signature gathering didn't begin until mid June. They will need about 242,000 valid signatures from registered voters to qualify for the Nov. 6 ballot.

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