Washington State Charter Schools Association (WA Charters) CEO Thomas Franta issued the following statement regarding the decision by the Charter School Commission this afternoon:
“Today is a positive day for families and students in Western Washington, with the approval of Green Dot Middle School, a new high-quality public charter school, and the news of more than $3 million in new federal funding to support six of the charter schools in development.
“Green Dot, like other approved schools in Washington state, is part of a range of solutions that help give every child access to a great education. These schools provide the flexibility to implement new and innovative methods to help more students graduate high school prepared for college and career. They are also uniquely situated to provide high-quality educational services to students with various learning needs, including English language learners and students with disabilities.
“WA Charters is also pleased that the U.S. Department of Education has awarded grants to six of Washington’s approved public charter schools, with funding to help expand and open high-quality public charter schools in the state. The infusion of federal dollars will begin to fill the gap in funding for public charter schools. We look forward to working with all of the authorized schools as they continue to enroll and serve students and their families.”
“We are fortunate that our state has implemented a thorough and rigorous authorization process—one that ensures that only schools that are best prepared to meet the needs of students and communities are approved and opened. The Commission made their decisions today with this in mind, and we look forward to learning more about their concerns with some of the specific applications.”