Charter schools in state may join small district near Spokane
Such an arrangement would keep them open as public schools despite a state Supreme Court ruling declaring their funding source unconstitutional.
Charter schools in Washington may join the Mary Walker School District near Springdale, Stevens County, in the far northwest corner of the state this month.
Such an arrangement would keep them open as public schools despite a state Supreme Court ruling declaring their funding source unconstitutional.
“Several of our schools have been in communication with the Mary Walker School District,” said Washington State Charter Schools Association spokeswoman Maggie Meyers. “At this stage nothing has been formalized.”
If the schools do join the Mary Walker School District, they would be classified as Alternative Learning Environments (ALE) under state law. ALEs allow for off-campus instruction, with the schools reporting student progress to the district.
A school district receives state money for students enrolled in an ALE program.
The Mary Walker district’s superintendent, Kevin Jacka, served on the Washington State Charter School Commission until resigning Wednesday.
Jacka said in an email the “Mary Walker School District is still exploring opportunities” around hosting charter schools. Its school board passed a resolution Nov. 30 allowing Jacka to explore the feasibility of hosting charters as Alternative Learning Environment programs.
Part of the resolution read, “the District believes that all students should have a choice in their educational program.”
As of May, the Mary Walker School District had 500 students in kindergarten through high school north of Spokane.
The nine charter schools in the state have a combined estimated enrollment of 1,300 students.
Adel Sefrioui, school director for Excel Public Charter School in Kent, said he’s been in communication with the Mary Walker School District, but no decision has been finalized.
The Supreme Court decision is expected to go into effect Dec. 14, at which Charter schools in state may join small district near Spokane | The Seattle Times:
