More than a decade ago, as Washington voters were pondering whether to allow publicly funded charter schools, The Columbian editorially noted that Initiative 1240 would “give priority to charter schools that would serve at-risk students and communities. … This wouldn’t be a case of parents in, say, Mercer Island having a bone to pick with their local school and deciding to start their own school.”
That was in 2012, and charter schools were approved with 50.3 percent of the statewide vote (52.3 percent of Clark County voters were in favor). Since then, the charter school movement has advanced in fits and starts in this state; today, 17 schools are operating, serving approximately 4,800 students.
That is not quite what voters envisioned. I-1240 allowed for the opening of up to 40 schools in a 10-year period and placed strong restrictions on procedures for opening and operating a school. Despite the struggles, Washington’s charter school system has shown some promise, with student outcomes in many cases surpassing those found at traditional schools.
Because of that, the annual charter-school report from the Washington State Board of Education recommends reopening the window for approval of charter schools. It also examines how funding shortages encumber charter schools, recommending “a close examination of the sufficiency of charter school funding and approaches used in other states in order to bring about equitable educational funding for Washington’s schools.”
Equity is a building block of the state’s model for charter schools. The schools are designed to provide a publicly funded option for students who are faring poorly in traditional education models, particularly low-income students and people of color. Last year, according to the board of education report, Black students in charter schools scored higher on English exams than Black students in other schools, and 50 percent met grade-level expectations.
That is one example; the report has many signs of mild success.
Despite that, charter schools are a hot-button issue. They receive public funding, but do not have an elected board, a fact that limits oversight. That can be problematic as the schools draw money away from traditional public schools.
For these reasons, charter schools are routinely opposed by teachers’ unions. As the National Education Association says: “NEA opposes the failed experiment of largely unaccountable privately managed charter schools. NEA supports nonprofit public charter schools that are authorized and held accountable by local democratically elected school boards.”
Washington law effectively addresses that by requiring charter schools to meet performance metrics. Six charter schools have closed in the state, some because of performance shortcomings and some because of financial struggles. (There is one charter school in Clark County — Rooted School, which opened last year in the Orchards area.)
If lawmakers are concerned with improving student outcomes and with providing a variety of learning options, they will reopen the window for the approval of such schools. They also will heed the recommendation to examine funding models.
Admittedly, that is unlikely. Given the strong Democratic Party majorities in state government and the traditional support from teachers’ unions for that party, opposition to charter schools is baked into the Legislature.
But there is good reason for cautious support of charter schools in Washington and for focusing on what is best for students.
