Charter schools study state
National nonprofits watch vote, consider doing business here
SEATTLE -- Some of the most successful charter school organizations in the nation say they would like to open schools in Washington if voters approve the charter initiative on the November ballot.
Rocketship Education, which runs some of the top performing elementary schools in California's low-income areas, would love to expand to Washington, said Kristoffer Haines, vice president of national development for the seven-school organization started in San Jose, Calif., in 2006. "We're certainly interested and excited."
He added, however, that starting a school takes time. So even if voters decide to allow up to 40 public charter schools to open during the next five years, Rocketship schools probably couldn't open in the state until 2016 or 2017, after a thorough process, including approval by Washington authorities.
Haines, who lives in Corvallis, Ore., and was asked to look over Washington's initiative before it
