Mayor Durkan is apparently moving to end the city’s broad policy of discrimination against charter school families, by providing equal access to Families and Education Levy funds. This latest levy was approved by voters last November, but so far city officials have not said they will grant funding to public charter schools.  More than 60% of charter school students are from low-income and minority families, and all the city’s charters serve neighborhoods south of the ship canal.

This broad policy appears to be changing.  Dwane Chappelle, Director of the City’s Education department wrote this in an email posted online:

“…the Department of Education and Early Learning will allow all public schools and all public school students to apply for levy funds. This decision includes public charter schools in Seattle, which represent approximately 800 students at public charter schools, and the more than 54,000 students at Seattle Public Schools…”

This decision will soon be transmitted to the City Council for approval. If approved, the City of Seattle will allow charter school families fair and equal access to Families and Education levy funding.

A little background illustrates what is at stake. Last November voters approved the City of Seattle’s Families and Education Levy to provide $636 million in various education programs for Seattle’s students, more than double the tax burden of the previous Levy.  

Charter public schools already receive about 20 percent less funding than traditional schools, because the Seattle School Board denies local funding to charter school families.  The District’s discrimination policy cuts about $4,000 per student from these schools.

Seattle denies charter school students access to free ORCA bus cards, as we explain here.

Charter school families are also denied capital funding from the state, as we explain here.

If the City Council approves the Mayor’s plan, charter school families will enjoy fair and equal access to this source of funding.

Let’s hope the City Council follows her high-minded lead.  Even better, Mayor Durkan’s example may persuade Seattle School Board members to let charter school families have an equitable share of tax-funded local levy and capital dollars too.