Newsom promises to take up charter transparency
(Calif.) There may be surprises on the horizon for the California charter movement this legislative session, but Gov. Gavin Newsom signal last week that he would support new transparency regulations on the non-traditional schools isn’t one of them.
After all, Newsom was targeted during last year’s primary by a group of wealthy charter supporters in a series of attack ads that some pundits saw as hitting below the belt. It was the sort of tactic that can backlash on an interest group and in this case probably has.
“We want a charter transparency bill,” Newsom said during his inaugural budget press conference earlier this month. “I’m not bashing charters here, but I made a commitment and I’m going to follow through with that commitment.”
Operational transparency has been an issue that has dogged charter advocates almost since lawmakers authorized the new educational concept in 1992.
Although publicly-funded, the operators of charter schools have been given wide discretion on how to go about providing educational services and are not required to abide by most of the state’s education code. That freedom includes requirements placed on most other public agencies related to good governance laws—the right of the public to open meetings, and access to public records and conflict of interest disclosure.
Officials at the California Charter School Association, which took no known role in the negative ads that ran in the June primary against Newsom, have repeatedly said they do not oppose transparency requirements.
“We stand ready to work with the governor, legislative leadership, and other stakeholders to codify CONTINUE READING: Newsom promises to take up charter transparency :: K-12 Daily :: The Essential Resource for Superintendents and the Cabinet