Good day, CharterFolk.
Let’s do a quick national whip around today. While things are complicated, I can’t remember a recent new year starting with as much encouraging momentum as we’re seeing early in 2025.
17 More Charter School
My first full post of the year started off with the news that 17 new charter schools are in the works in Tennessee.
This week we see 17 more.
Six in North Carolina.
Six in Iowa.
And five in Connecticut …
… which is, I believe, the largest number ever given approval in Connecticut. We still have to get the petitioners through Connecticut’s convoluted two-step approval process, but it’s encouraging nonetheless.
This brings our total to 34 new charter schools announced in the first half of January. It puts us on pace for, what, about 900 this year?
Sounds about right.
State of States of the State
More momentum is seen in how charter schools are being profiled by governors across the country in their state-of-state speeches. Here is Jared Polis’s office in Colorado touting his aggressive support of charter schools.
I love how the clip shows legislative leaders behind him leaping to their feet with a standing ovation in response to his call for parents having better options for their kids.
Governors in North Dakota (where we still don’t have a charter school law, amazingly) …
… and Missouri (where advocates are pushing for charter schools to be able to operate in more parts of the state) …
… and Idaho (whose policy makers seem intent on the state reinforcing its position of national policy leadership on charter schools) …
… are all professing their support for charter schools as work gets under way in their respective state legislatures.
Like I say. Encouraging.
Speaking of Idaho, the State’s Support for Charter School Facilities is Worth Learning From
Here is an example of some policy ideas from Idaho that it would be good to see other states emulate.
Polling of charter school leaders shows that a lack of facilities is our biggest impediment to growth. It will require from us greater policy imagination, some of which we’re seeing come out of Idaho.
Title 9 Regs Go Down
This is one I’ve written about previously.
The Biden Administration’s Title 9 Regs have been struck down, seemingly for good.
My criticism of the regs had nothing to do with the substance but with their heft – a new set of rules whose word count rivaled that of War and Peace. I sat through a legal briefing about all the other provisions in the regs that would have imposed daunting new bureaucratic burdens on schools. And there were many.
Showing that there are better ways to protect students’ rights than imposing tombs of new rules on schools is another of the charter school movement’s responsibilities right now.
The Sun Also Rises on Chicago Public Schools
It was in The Sun Also Rises that Hemingway wrote his famous lines about bankruptcy happening “gradually and then all of a sudden.”
Charter school detractors want to supposedly “cast a light” on charter school finances.
What we are seeing this year is that the sun also rises on the finances of major urban school districts. Chicago Public Schools is case and point. This week new reporting casts light on the district’s precarious financial position, much of which is a result of the district’s own fiscal mismanagement.
Sadly, there are many other school districts across the country that have engaged in financial practices that will soon show how their demise has come both “gradually and all of a sudden.”
New Focus on Indianapolis Finances
One dysfunctional and unfair way that school districts have avoided the sun rising on their finances is by casting shadow on charter school finances. In Indianapolis where the district has shrunk to serve only about 40% of students, the district still directs 100% of local taxes to support its own schools only. It has resulted in a situation where charter schools are receiving multiple thousands of dollars less per pupil.
This is the subtext happening as Indiana legislators propose controversial new legislation about the school district. I reiterate that I don’t like the language or the conceptual substance of our world seeking to “dissolve” the school district. But I like how the overall effort demonstrates that the best defense of our schools is often an effective offense.
Great New Podcast. Check it Out.
I draw CharterFolk attention to the fact that a new podcast series has come out.
Check out Darryl Cobb’s inaugural interview with outgoing Noble Public Schools CEO Constance Jones.
I’ve only made it halfway through, but I can already tell Darryl’s conversations are going to be great ones.
Looking forward to more.
Marten Reappears in Delaware
I wish I could report that all the news in CharterLand is positive this morning, but the truth is that new challenges arise every day. Case in point is Cindy Marten’s announcement as the new Secretary of Education in Delaware.
As I’ve written here previously, Marten’s record on charter schools was bad before she got to Washington …
… and it’s been even worse since she got there.
Given that Delaware’s new governor has been seen as a charter school supporter, this comes as something of a body blow.
I see it as just another example of the need to keep growing advocacy strength everywhere.
CharterFolk Coming Together in Los Angeles
Let’s end with a little inspiration.
Some of you may have seen Aveson Charter School Executive Director Ian McFeat on CNN with Anderson Cooper.
During the spot, CNN ran footage showing fire damage. One of the homes shown was Ian’s own. Some of the affected schools have seen half of their staff and families lose their homes. And yet the volume of generosity coming in support of these schools is simply amazing. I was on the phone yesterday with a CharterFolk who said the response is restoring her faith in humanity.
For all of you who have contributed already, thank you. For those of you who still want to, here is a place to go where all schools will be supported.
On we go.