THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, February 8, 1996 TAG: 9602080380
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JON GLASS, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium: 67 lines
A bill that would allow school boards in Virginia to approve experimental charter schools passed its first legislative test Wednesday, but faces an uncertain future.
A House of Delegates' panel voted 4-2 to recommend that the full Education Committee approve the legislation. The education committee is expected to consider the bill Friday.
The measure would allow school boards to award ``charters'' to parents, teachers and other groups to operate schools free of many state regulations. New Jersey recently became the 20th state to adopt a charter school law.
If the bill is approved, school boards could decide whether to accept applications for charter schools. Each district would be limited initially to two charter schools, and schools could hire only certified teachers.
The school boards could shut down a charter school that failed to meet specified goals. At least 50 percent of the students enrolled in the schools would have to be considered ``at-risk'' educationally due to social or economic factors.
In Virginia, the idea is supported by various children advocacy groups and the state parent-teacher association, which view charter schools as a way to spark innovation and to make it easier to experiment with teaching children who have special educational needs.
The concept has drawn fire, however, from the commonwealth's education establishment, including organizations representing school board members and school superintendents, who argue that such schools would draw resources from existing public schools and become exclusive enclaves for students of well-off parents. The Virginia Education Association has not taken a position on the bill, except to voice concern that it does not include money for start-up costs.
``My real hope is that people will judge this bill on its educational merits and not on arguments used recently that focus on partisanship, racism or elitism,'' said Del. Phillip Hamilton, R-Newport News, who is co-sponsor of the bill with Del. Paul Councill, D-Southampton. ``I'm proud I'm on the side of parents and kids.''
Hamilton said he found it ironic that some educators fear that charter schools would exclude students, especially minorities, when some programs it praises don't currently reach minorities.
Statewide, for example, minorities are represent only a small portion of programs set aside for gifted and talented programs, which last year had an enrollment that was 80 percent white. At least one of the seven Governor's ``magnet'' schools was more than 90 percent white, Hamilton said.
A bipartisan legislative committee that spent a year studying charter schools recommended the bill. But despite bipartisan support, legislators predicted that the education committee vote will be close.
If the education committee approves the bill, the vote would be too close to call in the full House, Hamilton said.
Del. Judy Connally, D-Arlington, voted against the bill at Wednesday's meeting, saying she preferred to experiment within the existing system. Many school districts already are trying innovative approaches to teach students and don't need charter schools, she said.
``I just think it would be a distraction from systemwide issues that all communities and school boards need to address, such as aging physical plants, overcrowding, smaller classes and getting up to speed in technology,'' Connally said.
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