For Immediate Release | January 27, 2020
CONTACT | Maggie Meyers, maggie@wacharters.wpenginepowered.com or 724.263.9826
SEATTLE, WA — Today, the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (National Alliance) released its annual state-by-state ranking of charter school laws, Measuring Up to the Model: A Ranking of State Public Charter School Laws, Eleventh Edition. Washington ranked third in the nation for the third year running, topped only by Indiana and Colorado.
The National Alliance’s model law helps policymakers and education advocates see which states have strong charter school laws, like Washington, and which still have room for improvement.
“We are very pleased to see our law again ranks among the top three in the nation for its insistence on quality, flexibility, and accountability,” said WA Charters CEO Patrick D’Amelio. “Backed by one of the nation’s strongest laws, our organization and sector will continue to promote innovative and diverse school models that will make a measurable and lasting impact for systemically underserved students and communities.”
Currently, nine charter public schools are serving over 3,000 students across Washington, and five more schools will open in Fall 2020.
The National Alliance’s 2020 rankings measure each state’s charter school law against a “gold standard” model charter school law, A Model Law for Supporting the Growth of High-Quality Charter Schools: Second Edition, released in October 2016. The Eleventh Edition of Measuring Up to the Model ranks charter school laws in 45 states and the District of Columbia. Each law receives a score based on 21 essential metrics, including accountability, flexibility, authorization, student performance and funding equity.
“Today we reflect on how Washington’s excellent charter school law sets an example for the rest of the nation,” said National Alliance for Public Charter Schools’ President and CEO Nina Rees. “The strength of Washington’s charter school law demonstrates a commitment to high-quality charter schools and the state’s public education system is better for it.”
For additional key findings from the report, please download the full report from the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools.