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From the Governor’s Press Office: Governor Jay Inslee, Lieutenant Governor Brad Owen and House Speaker Frank Chopp announced their appointments today to the state’s new Charter School Commission. Last November, voters approved Initiative 1240 to establish charter schools in Washington state. The initiative also called for the creation of a new, nine-member commission to manage and oversee … Read More
The nine appointed to Washington’s new charter-school commission could offer a powerful vision on non-traditional public schools. WASHINGTON’S newly appointed charter-school commission holds strong promise for delivering on expectations of high-quality public charter schools. Voters approved Initiative 1240 to explore the potential of charters to improve education. Gov. Jay Inslee, Lt. Gov. Brad Owen and … Read More
Union’s challenge to charter schools seems to ignore message of the voters As expected, the teachers union has filed a legal challenge to Washington’s new charter school law, Initiative 1240, which was approved by voters last fall. The Washington Education Association was joined by the League of Women Voters of Washington and El Centro de … Read More
An annual analysis of charter school laws ranks Washington’s at the top The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (NAPCS) today announced the release of its annual rankings of state charter school laws across the country, listing Washington’s new law that was passed by voters in November 2012 as the nation’s third strongest. NAPCS’ ranking found that … Read More
The State Board of Education met this week to review and discuss draft rules for the state’s first public charter schools. Members of the Washington Coalition for Public Charter Schools attended the public meeting to continue its leadership efforts to support effective implementation and a timeline that delivers high-quality charter schools serving at-risk students. The … Read More
Dear I-1240 supporters: The Washington Public Charter Schools Initiative (I-1240) became state law today after the November 2012 election was officially certified. We’d like to thank you for your help in passing this important initiative and encourage you to stay involved. The Washington Coalition for Public Charter Schools, which put the measure on the ballot, … Read More
When it comes to education, there’s much at stake Tuesday beyond the race for president. Voters in several states are being asked to approve significant changes to how public schools operate and are funded. … Let’s start in Washington, which is one of just nine states that currently prohibits charter schools — campuses that receive … Read More
Seattle Public Schools Superintendent Jose Banda is a thoughtful man with a personal narrative indicative of the ways educational inequalities challenge American dreams of careers and economic stability. I suspect Banda believed he was being reasonable Thursday asking voters to put dreams of charter schools aside until traditional publics have had a chance to fix … Read More
I-1240 (creating a public charter school system): Some 41 states already have such schools. They came into being a generation ago in response to complaints by minority parents, in particular, in big-city school systems that their kids were trapped in bad schools and could not escape them without enrolling in private schools beyond their means. … Read More
The education reform movement has been gaining speed across the country, and a pair of important ballot initiatives next week in Washington and Idaho will either extend or retard that progress. Evergreen State voters will decide on Initiative 1240, which would allow up to 40 charter schools over a five-year period. A mere 40 charters … Read More