"CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- West Virginia stands to lose $75 million in federal stimulus money due to the state's bad charter school law. Now, in the eleventh hour, lawmakers are scrambling to update the law in an effort to increase access to better educational options and thereby improve public education considerably."
It's time for Democrats in the state Legislature to realize that with or without the carrot of federal dollars, updating this law is the right thing to do.
The Democratic Party has touted our support of public education for decades, but our support has sometimes gone too far when we've defended schools and policies that aren't working for the children we ultimately want to improve the lives of. When we are the ones standing between the families we claim to represent and the public school options for which they clamor, we have to re-examine our priorities when it comes to schools.
Democrats, in particular, owe it to their constituents to support the kinds of exciting public school options offered by public charter schools. Recent data shows that West Virginia parents are eager to learn about the opportunities at charter schools -and the opportunities are clear.
Around the country from California to Boston, and elsewhere, public charter schools are proving their mettle. Some of the brightest stars in the modern-day education reform constellation are public charter schools - now leading the charge to save public education.
Popular school models like KIPP, Achievement First, Green Dot, Aspire and others are serving as proof points nationwide for what is possible in our schools.
It's time for Democrats in the state Legislature to realize that with or without the carrot of federal dollars, updating this law is the right thing to do.
The Democratic Party has touted our support of public education for decades, but our support has sometimes gone too far when we've defended schools and policies that aren't working for the children we ultimately want to improve the lives of. When we are the ones standing between the families we claim to represent and the public school options for which they clamor, we have to re-examine our priorities when it comes to schools.
Democrats, in particular, owe it to their constituents to support the kinds of exciting public school options offered by public charter schools. Recent data shows that West Virginia parents are eager to learn about the opportunities at charter schools -and the opportunities are clear.
Around the country from California to Boston, and elsewhere, public charter schools are proving their mettle. Some of the brightest stars in the modern-day education reform constellation are public charter schools - now leading the charge to save public education.
Popular school models like KIPP, Achievement First, Green Dot, Aspire and others are serving as proof points nationwide for what is possible in our schools.