While many speakers acknowledged the power of charter schools to transform education in failing urban districts, much discussion centered on the impact the schools have in suburban communities
TRENTON — A week after Gov. Chris Christie rolled out plans to dramatically increase the number of charter schools in New Jersey, the Assembly Education Committee today heard calls for changing the state’s charter school law — including the possibility of a public vote in districts where a charter school is proposed.
A parade of charter school and "traditional" public school officials, school advocates and parents testified before the committee today, offering ways to improve the state’s 15-year-old charter school law.
Committee Chairman Patrick Diegnan (D-Middlesex), who said about 40 bills relating to charter schools have been proposed, said he plans by early March to introduce legislation that would require a public vote on charter schools; allow for more authorizers — such as Rutgers and another public university, in addition to the Department of Education; and require more transparency and accountability.
"I don’t think anyone disagrees charter schools are a part of the solution," he said. "However, they are not a magic bullet."
While many speakers acknowledged the power of charter schools to transform the education of some students in failing urban districts, much discussion centered on the impact the schools have in suburban communities such as East Brunswick and Princeton.
Although public, charters operate independently of their local districts, and receive public funding equal to up to 90 percent of the per-pupil spending in their home district. Gov. Christie last week announced approval of 23 new charter schools. There are about 73 now. Christie said he plans to push for laws to make it easier to open more.
Rebecca Cox, president of the Princeton Regional School District Board of Education, said her district expects next year to have to send $4.8 million to educate children in two charter schools: the Princeton Charter School, which is open now, and a charter school previously approved to open, that would offer Mandarin Chinese. That is far more than it would cost to educate those children in the Princeton Regional district, she said.
Cox urged the committee to amend the charter law by requiring charter school organizers to prove an educational need for their school, and by giving voters a say.
"I expect our charter school costs to keep climbing unless you revise the law to address educational shortcomings across the state," Cox said, calling some charters "expensive boutique charter schools."
"There is a big difference between establishing a charter because students are failing and establishing one because Hebrew, Mandarin or extensive recycling isn’t part of every grade’s curriculum," she said.
One Princeton Charter School mom, Cynthia Ritter Parker, vouched for the value of the her children’s school, however, saying its small size and strong curriculum benefit children.
The committee also heard debate about the demographics of charter schools, which researchers say educate fewer special education students, English as a second language students, and very poor students, than regular district schools.
Though charter schools cannot discriminate against special needs kids, many families of special education or non-English speaking students do not apply. Typically, the schools have lotteries for open seats.
"The disparity in student enrollments between charter and district-run school .... has significant consequences for district-run schools," said Sharon Krengel, policy and outreach coordinator for the Education Law Center, which recommended such changes as requiring charters to seek a cross-section of their community.
Assemblyman Joseph Malone, (R-Burlington), said he is concerned about the selection process, too. He suggested that instead of parents having to reach out to apply for their children to go to the special schools, that all eligible children in a district be placed in the charter school lottery, and that parents be given the chance to opt out.