By Briana LeClaire
President, National Coalition for Public School Options
Proposed legislation threatens the future of school choice in Oregon.
A bill proposed in Oregon would shut down online charter schools and instead give the state sole power over online learning in the state. The bill was proposed by the Sen. Suzanne Bonamici ( D-Portland) and the Oregon Education Association (OEA).
The OEA originally agreed to grandfather in existing virtual charter schools, but the bill passed by the Senate Education Committee on Tuesday did not include these stipulations. According to one parent, Anne Marie Gurney, she received a message from OEA Lobbyist Laurie Wimmer stating that "all virtual charter schools would be grandfathered into the bill so that none of the current schools would be impacted."
While I am hopeful that the final version of the bill will allow existing virtual charter schools to remain open, the overall proposition is alarming. The bill will still decrease public school options in the state and as a result, students will suffer. It is imperative that states work to expand student choice ? not decrease it.
