Blog
Ahead of the Curve
There are 295 school districts across the state of Washington. And so far only one, Spokane Public Schools, has opted to become a charter school authorizer. One reason, Superintendent Shelley Redinger says, is because local district leadership has...
Arne Duncan Says Charters “Deliver on the Dream”
Last week, education and charter school leaders met in Washington, D.C. for the 2013 National Charter School Conference, where Arne Duncan provided a powerful call to action for charters to continue to innovate and find even more ways to support...
Spokane Public Schools step closer to charter schools
Spokane Public Schools is on its way to establishing the first charter school in Washington. That should come as no surprise: Superintendent Shelley Redinger announced the district’s desire for a charter school before final votes were tallied...
Statement in response to the I-1240 lawsuit
In response to the recent lawsuit filed challenging the voter-supported I-1240 initiative, the Washington State Charters Schools Association issued a statement that can be found below. Note that the Association also answered some frequently asked...
Editorial: Charter Schools Association an ally in shaping new schools
This editorial about the Association ran in The Seattle Times on Sunday, July 7. SKEPTICS and proponents of charter schools have a new ally. The Charter Schools Association sees the potential of innovative nontraditional public schools,...
Coalition’s suit challenges state’s charter-schools law
The drama over whether to allow charter schools in Washington state is getting another act. A coalition led by the state teachers union filed a long-awaited lawsuit Wednesday, turning to the courts after state voters narrowly approved the schools...
Community activist and grandmother learning from others
Yalonda Gill Masundire is a community activist and grandmother who lives in southeast Seattle. She supports public charter schools because she wants all students to have access to an excellent public education. Yalonda believes the flexibility that...
Reporting from the National Charter Schools Conference
Today kicks off the National Charter Schools Conference, Delivering on the Dream, in Washington, D.C., and for the first time ever, a contingent of Washington state public charter schools supporters are attending. The group of a dozen includes...
Districts split over charter schools
Washington voters have decided they want to add charter schools to the education mix in the state, and the three largest districts are taking different approaches to the question: What should charter schools mean to our community? Seattle has...