Charter School Backers Try It Again

A revamped charter-school initiative on the Nov. 7 ballot may have voters rethinking an issue they overwhelmingly rejected four years ago.

This time, even some high-powered educators are supporting the more conservative version that boasts a cautious approach to allowing public education dollars to fund independently run schools. Even so, Initiative 729 has its share of opponents from education circles.

I-729, known as the Charter Public Schools Initiative, would allow anyone - whether parents, business people or educators - to form nonprofit corporations that could open schools. A school district or public university would have to sponsor the school.

Though the schools would be run independently, they would be held accountable by their sponsors for their financial and academic performance.

The initiative would authorize up to 20 new charter schools a year over the next four years.

Supporters assert that charter schools would be a valuable choice for parents and students who want something beyond the “status quo.”

Now that 36 states have implemented charter schools in some form, backers say they aren’t inventing the wheel.

Critics, however, worry charter schools would drain valuable funding out of the public schools and would cater to special interest groups.

Judith Billings, the former state schools superintendent who fought against the 1996 charter school initiative, is now a vocal supporter.

As I-729’s chief spokeswoman, Billings says this year’s charter school measure is a responsible and valuable way to spur innovation in education.

“The reason for the charter public schools is the recognition that kids don’t all learn the same way,” Billings said. “The more opportunities we can give kids to learn in learning situations that are appropriate for their particular needs, the more successful all of our kids will be.”

Unlike the 1996 initiative, Billings said, I-729 has a much larger public accountability component and does not set out to bash public education. Rather, she said, it aims to partner with public schools.

Critics, however, view charter schools as a threat to public schools at a time when resources are needed to follow through with the state’s education reform movement, which has set high new academic standards for students.

“We don’t see anything positive about this initiative that would divert funds from our current public schools and would sidetrack our attention and energy toward improving (public) schools for students,” said Barbara Mertens, assistant executive director of the Washington Association of School Administrators.

WASA, made up primarily of school superintendents and other top-level administrators, has been the main opponent of I-729.

Mertens questions the constitutionality of the initiative. She said public schools are the foundation of democracy and, along with other critics, views I-729 as public funding for private schools.

“We don’t believe our Constitution allows for school boards to give up authority over schools that taxpayers are paying for,” she said.

But proponents insist the charter schools will be public. They would be open to all students, could not charge tuition and could not have a religious affiliation. They would have to employ certified teachers and would be held to the same state academic standards as public schools.

One big difference, however, is that they would be exempt from most state school regulations, except in health, safety and civil rights.

Such freedom from bureaucratic red tape would allow schools to find the best ways to meet students’ needs, said Mari Clack of Spokane, a co-chairwoman of the campaign.

“Sometimes you can get hamstrung by all the bureaucratic regulations that don’t make a lot of sense,” said Clack, a former teacher and longtime public education advocate.

For example, if a school wanted to extend learning time, it could run classes from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. or teach beyond the traditional 180-day school year, Clack said.

And if a charter school isn’t able to live up to what it says it will do, the free market will determine its fate, she said. If parents are unhappy with the school, they will send their children elsewhere.

“With a charter school, if it doesn’t cut muster, then it’s gone,” she said.

Clack said there already are groups in Spokane that are “very interested” in starting charter schools should the initiative pass.

The initiative has had plenty of financial backing to help sway public support.

Microsoft co-founder and billionaire Paul Allen, who has taken over the campaign from its grass-roots origin in Seattle, has donated more than $3 million to the campaign.

If voters approve I-729, the state Office of Financial Management predicts it would impact the state budget by about $8 million to $16 million over the next two years. That money would come from higher enrollment if charter schools attract private and home-schooled children back into the public school system.

While that remains to be seen, WASA’s Mertens worries about the money that would leave the public schools and go to charter schools instead.

Under the initiative, the per pupil allocation from the state - about $4,600 a year - would follow students to the charter school.

Mertens also believes that charter schools, by their nature, will discriminate against some students.

Because many charter schools require parents to volunteer their time, children from single-parent households or homes where both parents work may not be able to enroll, she said.

She also wonders about the opportunity for special education students to attend.

In addition to WASA, other opponents of I-729 include the state Parent Teachers Association, the Washington State Special Education Coalition, the Public School Employees of Washington, the Washington State School Directors Association, the Washington State Labor Council and the League of Women Voters.

The Washington Education Association, the 65,000-member teachers’ union, has opposed charter schools in the past but has remained neutral on this initiative.

Sam Smith, former president of Washington State University also believes - like Billings - that I-729 is a major improvement over its predecessor in 1996, which he voted against.

“The key here is the charter schools are tied with the school district or the university,” said Smith, who also is a co-chairman of the campaign. “It basically is not moving all the way toward a radical change, it is simply arming the school districts and teachers and parents to do a better job.”

This sidebar appeared with the story: ELECTION 2000 I-729

Initiative 729, known as the Charter Public Schools Initiative, would allow the creation of up to 80 independent but publicly funded schools over the next four years. The schools would be required to be sponsored by local school districts or state universities, but would operate as nonprofit organizations. The schools could not have a religious affiliation.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.