Debate Continues Over Need for Public Vote on Charter Schools

South Brunswick School District officials are hopeful to see movement on legislation that would require voter approval before a charter school would be allowed to open.  The state Assembly Education Committee approved four bills this week aimed at charter schools.  One of those bills, A3852, sponsored by Education Committee Chairman Patrick Diegnan (D-18), would require voter or board of education approval before charters could open in any school district. 

Yesterday, the Assembly Education Committee approved bill A2805, sponsored by Assemblywoman Linda Greenstein (D-14), which would require voter approval prior to the establishment of a new charter school. 

"This makes so much sense it's hard to believe anybody would be against it," said South Brunswick Superintendent Gary McCartney.  "We live in a time of greater transparency and the Board of Education is the most transparent form of government we have.  We should be providing opportunities for individual communities to decide how public dollars are spent.  It's a no brainer."

About a week ago, the New Jersey School Boards Association overwhelmingly approved an emergency resolution from the Princeton Regional Board of Education to change the association’s policy on charter schools. 

The resolution was approved by NJSBA’s 115-member delegate assembly by a 90 percent vote at its meeting in Trenton.  The vote clears the way for the state association to lobby the state legislature to support passage of similar legislation.

NJSpotlight.comlike those offering language immersion programs, might not be needed in suburban districts that are “humming along.” 

Cerf cited the  Cerf also questioned whether the harm such charters could cause to the sending districts outweighs their potential to enhance educational offerings. 

“I think you really can have a very serious debate, the outcome of which is unclear, as to whether that rounds out the portfolio or impairs the success of the overall district,” Cerf said.

During the NJSpotlight forum, state Sen. Barbara Buono (D-Middlesex) asked if Cerf believed that local districts should be able to vote on whether charter schools are to open in a district.

"There is a growing outrage about charter schools being forced in communities where they don’t want them," Buono said.  "There is no opportunity, none whatsoever, for local taxpayers to have a say whether they want one or not.  There needs to be broad community support or input as to whether there is a need."

Cerf said during the forum that he was adamant against a local vote, pointing out there is no such requirement in any state.  He did say, however, that in the state’s review of charter school applications, it could be more cognizant of financial and academic local needs.

"I listened with some interest to the testimony Commissioner Cerf offered the senate committee and when he was asked whether he would support a public vote on allowing charter schools he said no because communities might vote them down," Dr. McCartney said.  "My reaction to that is that this administration thinks that since the public might not vote the way they want them to vote, well let's just not give the public a choice.  

"Just because there's a law in the books that doesn't include a public referendum on such things, it doesn't mean we can't revisit it.  There's a lot of laws in the books that need to be amended over time, as we change our way of thinking.  To suggest every law in the books doesn't need to be revisited to correspond with changing times, to me, is a silly way of thinking."

 As part of the recently passed South Brunswick school budget, the district is expected to lose about $1.6 million from about $20.1 million in state aid this year.  That money comes from the approximately 150 students from South Brunswick who the state projects to attend both PIACS and the Thomas Edison EnergySmart Charter School in Trenton.

PIACS was approved by the state Department of Education in January 2010.  The charter school has a deadline of June 30 to obtain a certificate of occupancy for a Perrine Road building that was formerly a warehouse and office space for a sporting goods manufacturer.  If PIACS fails to open this year, the DOE could extend PIACS’ deadline for an occupancy permit until July 15. If no extension is granted, PIACS would have to reapply to the DOE for a new charter.

Opposition to allowing a public vote on charter schools have said it would politicize the issue.  PIACS co-founder Parker Block has repeatedly stated that the public is too focused on comparisons to local standards and not by international benchmarks.

"The comparison to local standards may serve suburban school administrators well, but not suburban students," he said in .  "Nonetheless, those who propose innovative, ambitious programs are often summarily dismissed by local school officials with phrases like 'nice to have, but not necessary' or 'wait until the economy improves."

Block said that looking at dual-immersion language programs as being "boutique" schools is short-sighted and ignores the need to close the global achievement gap.

"Despite the fact that the most tragic situations in public education capture media attention, business leaders, policy makers, progressive educators and parents are increasingly aware that in the 21st Century, our students are not going to be judged in comparison to local standards, but by international benchmarks," Block said.

Outside of the debate about the merits of the PIACS program and dual language immersion programs in general, Dr. McCartney said that decision makers in Trenton need to think long and hard about directing funds away from local districts towards charter schools because that funding is raised locally and should be spent responsibly.  

"This is something that's missing in the charter school legislation, in that it allows them to be created by people who want to create it in whatever shape they choose and where they choose, but there's something wrong that it doesn't include the input of the people who actually have to pay for it," McCartney said.

While hopeful for the establishment of a democratic process for the opening of a charter school, Dr. McCartney said he believes it will take a continued uproar from the public to persuade Gov. Chris Christie to support such legislation.

"It'll be interesting to see if this gains any momentum because my understanding is that Gov. Christie and Commissioner Cerf don't favor letting the public vote," McCartney said. "(Gov. Christie) may veto it, but the will of the people needs to be acknowledged.  Over the last few months this whole issue has really begun to be a matter that concerns the public greatly.  To ignore that and to ignore what the public wants may be a big mistake by our legislative friends in Trenton.  They should notice when the public is concerned about an issue."

Dr. McCartney added that there my be some hesitance from the state legislature to allow the public to have a say on whether a charter school should be allowed to open, because it may not correspond with the agenda of the

"The administration in Trenton needs to be aware of the will of the people and realize that maybe they should slow down on this transition of education," he said.  "We should be giving the public input on what it is that they want to pay for. But it's almost like what they're saying is we can't let you have a vote because you might not do what we want you to do."