In Iowa, the time is now for charter school reform. Iowa’s charter school law ranks amongst the weakest in country. However, there is a new hope in Iowa for parents seeking public school options as Governor Culver has responded to President Obama and Secretary Duncan’s call to eliminate charter school caps. On November 20, 2009, Governor Culver announced that during the 2010 session of the Iowa State Legislature, he will support legislation to eliminate the limits on charter schools. The Iowa Chapter of the National Coalition for Public School Options is mobilizing in support of true charter school reform. Lifting the caps on the number of charters schools is a start, however to ensure Iowa families realize the benefits that flow from the sort of public school options and innovation that are available in most every other state, Iowa’s charter school law needs to be amended to: · Eliminate the caps on the number of charter schools and allows for a variety of public charter school models; · Permit multiple charter school authorizers including school districts, universities and municipalities; · Require authorizer accountability while ensuring fiscally and legally autonomous schools, with independent public charter school boards exempt from excessive regulation; · Adequately fund public charter schools at the same level as district public schools; · Create a transparent process for charter applications, charter renewal, non-renewal and revocation decisions; · Establish clear student recruitment criteria and procedures. The time is now to rewrite Iowa’s charter school law to ensure this important public school option is available to Iowa families. Join the Iowa Chapter of the NCPSO today! Resources National Alliance for Public Charter schools http://www.publiccharters.org/dashboard/policy/page/overview/state/IA/year/2009 US Charter Schools http://www.uscharterschools.org/cs/sp/view/sp/49 Center for Education Reform http://www.edreform.com/From_the_States/index.cfm?sectionID=58&stateID=37&altCol=2&thisSectionID=34 Iowa Department of Education http://www.iowa.gov/educate/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=487&Itemid=1334 Iowa State Legislature http://www.legis.state.ia.us/index.html
News School Changes Could net Millions for Iowa State Law, Attitudes, Slow Charter School Movement in Iowa Join the Iowa Chapter of NCPSO Join the Iowa Chapter of NCPSO here.
Contact Brian Kennedy, NCPSO Iowa Chapter Chairman Brian@publicschooloptions.org 866-558-2874 |
