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Charter schools are public schools and deserve more equitable funding
This month, Washington’s voters will consider 184 public-school levies and 20 bond measures representing a collective $6.75 billion, according to the Washington Education Association (WEA). But, even if voters approve the measures, the state’s nine charter schools won’t see a single dime. Washington’s public charter schools receive state funding for basic education, just as traditional … Read More
Charter school for teen parents opens in September
SPOKANE, Wash. — Sometimes kids can be a handful. Imagine being a teen parent, having to juggle school, your child and possibly work. A new charter school opening this fall is hoping to help. Some days, for 15-year-old Dawn Stradley-Seager, she has to choose between being a mom or being a student. “It’s really hard … Read More
Charter schools are new to Washington state. How strong is the law behind them?
With one year left for the state to authorize new charter schools, a national ranking of charter-school laws placed Washington’s near the top. This week, the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools released a list of how states stack up against what it considers a “gold standard” model for charter-school laws. The Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit, which advocates on behalf … Read More
Spokane International Academy seeks expansion as charter school popularity grows in region
Hundreds of kids are on the waiting list to gain admission to Spokane International Academy, which is no surprise to the students and teachers in the city’s largest charter school. In Ashley Peak’s eighth-grade class, students are writing well-researched letters to The Spokesman-Review about the worldwide refugee crisis. Students in every grade are taking four … Read More
Vendor Partner Spotlight: Edgenuity
Edgenuity supports charter public schools across the country. As a 2018 WA Charters Conference sponsor, they are a key partner in bringing high-quality education programming and support to charter public schools in our state, as well. We recently sat down with Edgenuity for a quick Q+A about what makes their organization tick. Q: Tell us … Read More
When it comes to special education, Washington charter public schools are setting a high bar, new research shows
Seattle—A recent study conducted by the Center on Reinventing Public Education (CRPE) found that charter schools in Washington state, on average, enroll higher percentages of students with disabilities than the state average — and considerably more than the average for charters nationwide. Here are the major findings from the CRPE study, which evaluated Washington state … Read More
Four Questions for Debra Sullivan, Founder of Ashé Prep
Recently, we sat down with Debra Sullivan, founder Washington’s newest charter school – Ashé Prep – which is set to open in 2019. Here’s what we learned about this visionary leader. What is your personal ‘why’ – why you are passionate about innovative school design, and why do you want to start a charter public school … Read More
Our Statement on the Trump Administration’s Family Separation Policy and Executive Order
Today, it has been reported that the President will issue an executive order ending family separation on the US/Mexico border, the direct result of a policy put into place by the Trump administration. The damage already done to families and children is irreparable and indefensible. More than 2,000 children have been forcefully removed from their … Read More
RESOURCE: Applying for DACA Status Renewal
On September 5th, 2017, the Trump Administration announced its decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. While the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is not accepting requests from individuals who have never before been granted deferred action under DACA, DACA recipients whose status has expired – or is set … Read More
Moving Towards Authentic Parent Engagement: Insights from Somali Parent Education Board Co-Founder Regina Elmi
Regina Elmi, co-founder of the Somali Parent Education Board (SPEB), recently sat down with WA Charters to discuss how SPEB is delivering on its mission to close the education gap by elevating parent leaders. WA Charters is proud to have SPEB as a community partner. SPEB’s partnership has been instrumental in helping to inform WA … Read More