A preview of the final rules for the administration of the Charter Schools Program and grant competition released by the U.S. Department of Education last Friday look to be less harmful than the Department’s original proposal. In March, the original proposal received an immediate and national response from parents, students, teachers, school leaders, and education advocates – including governors, attorneys general, and U.S. Senators.
As the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools stated, “It is clear our collective voices were heard and some of the most troubling aspects of the proposed rules that relate to community impact analysis, diverse charter schools, and the burdensome nature of the application process itself are improved.”
These improvements to the rules are a testament to grassroots advocacy and its impact. While the revised rules are not exactly what we advocated for, they are less burdensome than they would have been without our parents and communities rallying in Washington D.C and online, in May.
Note: The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools released an updated statement. Read here.