National PTA acknowledges charter schools as one avenue to school reform. However, PTA supports the creation of charter schools based on a set of principles that are designed to keep the integrity of public schools intact.
Charter Schools MUST…
Charter Schools MUST NOT…
Texas PTA and Charter Schools
The Texas Congress of Parents and Teachers has been the leading child advocacy
organization in our state for over 95 years, serving as the first and most respected "education reform" group. While the Texas PTA has not been an advocate
for charter schools, we have not been an opponent, either. We believe charter
schools are just one of the many options within the public school system.
Since 1995 our state organization and local units have been observing the
strengths and weaknesses of the charter school experiment in Texas. We believe
there are a number of practices in Texas charter schools that are not in accordance
with National PTA principles as listed above and should be addressed through
legislation or administrative rules and regulations. Our concerns are listed
on the following pages.
The Texas Congress of Parents and Teachers is concerned
about the following issues related to Texas charter schools.
Statements listed in italics are from the National PTA Position on Charter Schools.
Comments listed in bold face are areas that we believe should be addressed in legislation and/or administrative rules and regulations.
Charter Schools MUST…
1. Be open to all students
Note: There are "open-enrollment" charter schools that
below the surface seem to have selective admissions requirements,
such as the Texas Boys Choir charter campus and a Houston charter
school with campuses at ice skating rinks and gymnastics facilities.
In addition, more than 20 charter schools were formerly private
academies that converted to charter schools and re-enrolled prior
students.
Recommendation
Safeguards are needed in law and regulation to ensure all students
have an equal opportunity to become aware of the existence of
a charter school and to apply and be accepted.
2. Be supported by specifically allocated public funds in amounts
that do not exceed and do not divert money from public schools.
Note: In Texas, there are no specifically allocated public funds
for charter schools-funding typically is diverted from public
schools which lose average daily attendance and accompanying state
funding when students transfer to charter schools. There is no
limit to how much tax funding could be diverted from public schools
to pay for charter schools, because there are no limits on the
number of schools that could be chartered for at-risk students.
It is difficult for public school areas to plan for the future-including
facilities and staffing-because school boards cannot forecast
future drops in enrollment due to unbridled charter school expansion.
In school year 2000-2001, the amount of state tax funding diverted
from regular public schools to Texas charter schools is projected
be more than $169,000,000. This compares with 1997-98, when state
funding for charter schools was significantly less, $17,025,087.
Recommendation
The Texas charter school experiment should be allocated a specific
amount of state funding, rather than continuing to divert an unlimited
and unpredictable amount of money from public schools. This would
allow lawmakers and taxpayers to know prospectively how much tax
money will be invested in this experiment.
3. Comply with federal and state laws governing public schools
that require fiscal responsibility and accountability
Recommendation
Charter schools should be required to comply with all federal
and state laws governing public schools that require fiscal responsibility,
including competitive bidding laws. Legislation should clarify
ownership of failed charter school assets which have been purchased
with public funds.
4. Adhere to federal and state laws that protect the health
and safety of children
Recommendation
The Commissioner of Education should have authority to intercede
where necessary when health and safety issues arise at charter
schools. In addition, charter schools should be subject to current
public school criminal background check requirements.
5. Be accountable to local school boards in the areas where
they are located
Note: Local school boards are asked to comment on charter
school applications, and in many instances the boards have said
if a charter school were approved, it would have a negative impact
on the school area; yet, the State Board of Education approved
the charter school anyway.
Recommendation
The State Board of Education should give more attention and weight
to comments by local school boards regarding charter school applications
and requests to amend charters to add new campuses or expand enrollments.
6. Ensure staff are certified for their positions
Note: In Texas, charter school teachers do not have to be certified
for their positions, and they are not even required to have a
college degree.
Recommendation
All Texas charter school staff should be certified for their positions.
Also, existing laws regarding parental notification requirements
relating to teacher certification should be amended to include
charter schools.
7. Involve parents in decision-making processes
Recommendation
Charter schools should comply with all provisions in state law
regarding parental rights and responsibilities, parent participation
on site-based decision-making committees, and open meetings of
charter school boards.
8. Have a mechanism for independent evaluation to determine
if they are providing students with an education at least comparable
to public schools and fulfilling their mission of innovation
Note: In its Interim Report to the Legislature on charter schools,
the Texas House Committee on Public Education reported that, "As
an institution, charter schools are consistently under-performing
traditional public schools."
Recommendation
If a charter school is not providing an education for children
that is at least comparable to public schools, the State Board
of Education should have the authority to take quick, appropriate
action to address the problems so all children can succeed.
Charter Schools MUST NOT…
9. Be opened by for-profit organizations, nor be affiliated
with a nonpublic, sectarian, religious or home-based school
Note: In Texas, many charter schools are managed by for-profit
corporations and religious organizations.
Recommendation
Legislation is needed that says charter school holders may not
contract with for-profit management corporations, and that public
school charters should not be awarded to religious organizations.
10. Charge tuition or fees not charged by public schools
Recommendation
The Texas Education Agency should investigate and report on any
variances from true open enrollment policies in which charter
school place additional financial requirements upon students (i.e.
requiring gymnastic or ice skating lesson tuition, etc.)
11. Have a negative impact on public schools
Recommendation
The Texas Legislature should assess if charter schools are having
a negative impact on the traditional public school system and
communicate their findings to the public.