Tomorrow the House Education Committee will vote on whether to allow the bill to save charter schools, SB 6194, to have a vote in the House of Representatives.  A weaker House bill is also under consideration.  Children’s advocates fear an ineffective, watered-down version may pass, so this is a good time to consider what victory would look like for charter school families.

SB 6194 is the strongest proposal because it would reinstate the voter’s charter school law, and respond to the supreme court ruling by creating a separate funding source. Passing the Senate-passed version of SB 6194 in the House, and assuming Governor Inslee signs it, is what charter school victory looks like. Charter schools supporters describe it this way:

“Anything short of what the voters approved would be tantamount to closing schools,” said Thomas Franta, CEO of the Washington State Charter Schools Association (WA Charters). “The voters didn’t ask for shortcuts or temporary patches or closed doors—they asked for access to innovative schools for every community. The future of our 1,100 students and countless more families around the state rests in legislators’ hands.” 

Opponents of charter schools hope to weaken or close the schools by watering down SB 6194. Here are other ways opponents of charter school families could win:

The House Education Committee could block SB 6194 from proceeding to the House for a vote;

Amending SB 6194 to freeze enrollment of charter schools to the 1,100 students in Washington’s current eight charter schools, blocking the plans of their schools to increase enrollment by one grade a year for the next three years;  

Amending SB 6194 to limit charter schools to the existing eight charter schools, frustrating the voters’ will as expressed in the charter school initiative passed in 2012 to open 40 charter schools;  

Amending SB 6194 to put charter schools under the control of school districts. This amendment, known as the Senator Billig amendment, would deprive these schools of their independence and innovation, meaning they would no longer be charter schools;     

A veto of SB 6194 by Governor Inslee.

While these attacks on charter schools are still possible, victory is more likely. The public has seen the TV ads of students saying they love their charter schools. The public has heard the courageous testimony of students, recorded here, respectfully telling legislators how their charter schools are helping them learn better. The public has seen new coverage of parents traveling to Olympia to implore their elected representatives to keep their charter schools open.

Charter schools are in trouble because executives at the WEA union filed a lawsuit to shut them down.  The good news is that charter schools are popular and people think they should be allowed to educate underserved children in our state. Given that popular support, and knowing what victory looks like, there is a good chance lawmakers will pass a bill that saves charter schools.

This report is part of WPC's Charter School Follow-up Project

Note: Shortly after publication of this blog post, WPC received notice that consideration of SB 6194 was removed from tomorrow morning's agenda of the House Education Committee.