OKLAHOMA CITY 鈥� After unsuccessfully , an Oklahoma board will 鈥渕ore than likely鈥� have to deny a proposal to found another publicly funded religious charter school in the state.

The Statewide Charter School Board is expected to vote next month on a Jewish charter school鈥檚 application for approval.

Chairperson Brian Shellem said the state board is legally bound to obey an that rejected opening a religious charter school with taxpayer funds. A deadlocked U.S. Supreme Court .

That means, 鈥渨e will more than likely have to deny their application,鈥� Shellem said, though he suggested the school could do an 鈥渙utstanding job鈥� academically.

If rejected, the school founders would have an opportunity to reapply a second and final time.

Shellem said he expects the founders also might file a lawsuit if denied.

鈥淚 would not be shocked or surprised if this ignites another legal battle,鈥� Shellem said. 鈥淪o regardless of whatever happens, I really do believe our board would be sued no matter what.鈥�

Ben Gamla would provide an education that is 鈥渋ntellectually rigorous and deeply rooted in Jewish knowledge, values and lived tradition,鈥� according to its application.

Each employee, though allowed to have different religious beliefs, would be considered a 鈥渟ervant of the Jewish faith鈥� and would be expected to 鈥渦phold the standards of the Jewish tradition in their day-to-day work and personal lives,鈥� the application states.

A Florida charter school founder and former Democratic U.S. Rep. Peter Deutsch said he is committed to making Ben Gamla a success in Oklahoma.

鈥淭his is something that鈥檚 been in my head for at least 10 years, if not longer, and I think the opportunity is probably the best in Oklahoma of any state in the United States of America today,鈥� Deutsch said when presenting to the state board on Monday.

Brett Farley, who sat on the board of the now-defunct Catholic charter school, is also listed among the founding board members for the Jewish school.

The application promises a K-12 online-based education with rigorous academics. Ben Gamla, named for a high priest in Israel 2,000 years ago, also would provide instruction in Jewish religion, culture, values, rituals, texts, holidays and practices.

Like Deutsch鈥檚 secular Ben Gamla charter schools in Florida, the Oklahoma school would teach Hebrew classes. Deutsch said the Oklahoma school, though bearing a similar name, is an entirely separate organization from his Florida charter school network.

While presenting to the statewide board, Deutsch said the online school would be open to students of any background. He said he first visited Oklahoma a few years ago to explore the possibility of founding a school and visited with about 20 people, including 10 Jewish parents.

鈥淢y sense of talking to parents was there are a lot of parents that are looking for a sort of a faith-based, rigorous academic program, but there was nothing there,鈥� Deutsch said.

State law and recent court precedent don鈥檛 allow charter schools, or any public school, in Oklahoma to adopt a particular religion. No existing charter schools in the state emphasize the Hebrew language or Judaic studies as Ben Gamla would, though multiple synagogues and Jewish community centers in Tulsa and Oklahoma City do.

An estimated , or .22% of the state鈥檚 total population.

The Ben Gamla application proposes opening later this year with a goal year-one enrollment of 400 students K-12. Its goal enrollment is 1,150 students in five years.

During Deutsch鈥檚 presentation, Shellem brought up the 鈥渆lephant in the room鈥� 鈥� why apply for approval after the board鈥檚 experience with St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School? Deutsch gave a succinct response.

鈥淲e have presented an application for you that we believe meets and exceeds all of your criteria,鈥� Deutsch said. 鈥淎nd so, we expect and hope that you鈥檙e going to approve that application.鈥�

The statewide board isn鈥檛 interested in 鈥減aying for Sunday school,鈥� Shellem said after the meeting Monday. Rather, the board is hunting for charters that would produce strong academic results.

鈥淚 believe the Ben Gamla school could deliver that,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 think St. Isidore could have delivered that. And we are going to be bound by the Oklahoma Supreme Court ruling no matter what, and we will comply with those orders. But, I think it鈥檚 unfortunate that we have to potentially deny schools that are highly qualified that could do an outstanding job for students in the areas of mathematics, science, reading (and) literature because of their desire to teach a religious component.鈥�

is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Oklahoma Voice maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Janelle Stecklein for questions: info@oklahomavoice.com.

OKLAHOMA CITY 鈥� A state board governing charter schools has decided it鈥檚 seen enough from Proud To Partner Leadership Academy and voted Monday to 鈥減ull the plug鈥� on the school.

The Statewide Charter School Board made the rare decision to issue a notice of termination to the charter high school in southwest Oklahoma City. Seven board members voted in favor and two abstained.

The decision sets in motion the process of closing the school once the current academic year ends and voiding its charter contract. The 100 students attending the school, known as PTPLA, then would have to return to their neighborhood school districts or find another educational option.

The board placed PTPLA over financial, operational and academic quality concerns. Members of the state board from the school鈥檚 leadership.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 what we always ask for is a spirit of cooperation and desire to work together to improve the outcomes at the school,鈥� board Chairperson Brian Shellem said after Monday鈥檚 meeting. 鈥淎s it continued to progress, it seemed like it got harder and harder.鈥�

State officials said they still had more questions than answers after three months of probation and multiple meetings with PTPLA.

The board鈥檚 staff made three visits to the school this fall and reported seeing only one teacher giving instruction. .

Rebecca Wilkinson, executive director of the state board, said she observed students with a computer open but not logged in, others not completing any work, seven who were sleeping or had their heads down, and some who were unable to say what course or topic they were studying, all of which raised concerns about the school鈥檚 educational quality.

PTPLA, which opened in 2024, faced scrutiny over weak finances, as well. It laid off four teachers in October and finished the previous school year in a budget deficit.

State officials also complained of missed deadlines and other unfulfilled obligations by the school鈥檚 administration.

鈥淢y opinion is it鈥檚 time to pull the plug,鈥� statewide board member William Pearson said before the vote. 鈥淚t鈥檚 time to move to termination.鈥�

Despite the school鈥檚 struggles, PTPLA leaders told the state

School founder and Superintendent Dawn Bowles said her students now face the prospect of returning to 鈥渟chools that were not serving them in the first place.鈥�

鈥淥ur next feat will be, what is our next move to make sure that we don鈥檛 drop the ball on the ones that we鈥檝e committed to serving,鈥� Bowles said. 鈥淲e will continue to serve them. We will continue to educate them. We will continue to provide opportunities outside of education, and we will continue to be their village as we move forward because this is what we consider to be the greater way.鈥�

is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Oklahoma Voice maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Janelle Stecklein for questions: info@oklahomavoice.com.

Voters might have thought they settled the question of charter schools in Kentucky last year when a 鈥渟chool choice鈥� amendment failed in all 120 counties.

But the state Supreme Court was told Thursday that no change in the state鈥檚 1891 Constitution is necessary to allow charter schools under a law the Republican-controlled legislature approved in 2022.

Kentucky Solicitor General Matthew Kuhn said the charter school law does not violate the constitutional mandate to 鈥減rovide for an efficient system of common schools鈥� but would instead improve the system鈥檚 efficiency by expanding opportunities.

The charter school law 鈥渇its neatly in our tradition of common schools,鈥� said Kuhn on behalf of Republican Attorney General Russell Coleman. 鈥淚n our common school system, the status quo can never be good enough.鈥�

Lawyers for an education advocacy group and two local school districts contended the charter school law fails several constitutional tests, including a requirement that tax-funded schools be overseen by elected boards accountable to voters.

Attorney Byron Leet, representing the Council for Better Education and the Jefferson County and Dayton Independent school boards, called the law 鈥渢he latest attempt by the General Assembly to redirect public school money, public funds to schools operating outside the common school system without the approval of Kentucky鈥檚 voters as required by the Constitution.鈥�

The attorney general鈥檚 office is asking the Supreme Court to overturn a ruling by Franklin Circuit Judge Phillip Shepherd who struck down the charter school law and enjoined its implementation in December 2023.

Shepherd wrote then that the 鈥減olicy goals of the legislation are not at issue in this case鈥� but that there 鈥渋s no way to stretch the definition of 鈥榗ommon schools鈥� so broadly that it would include such privately owned and operated schools that are exempt from the statutes and administrative regulations governing public school education.鈥�

Defending the law, Kuhn said Shepherd in his ruling had misapplied the 1989 Supreme Court opinion in Rose v. Council for Better Education, the landmark ruling that paved the way for the Kentucky Education Reform Act.

He said Shepherd鈥檚 ruling 鈥渢reated Rose effectively as a straight jacket that prevents the legislature from meaningfully changing the common school system. Rose, however, requires the General Assembly to continually strive to improve on the status quo.鈥�

Also arguing in support of the charter school law was attorney Paul Salamanca, representing Gus LaFontaine who is seeking to open a charter school in Madison County under the 2022 law.

鈥極utside looking in鈥�

In response to questions from the justices about charter schools being allowed to turn away students when their enrollment limit is reached, Salamanca said 鈥渢hat鈥檚 a good problem鈥� because it鈥檚 a sign the school is filling a need. 鈥淎nd HB 9 (the charter school law) has a solution. You can start another school and another school. They can keep starting 鈥β� if that鈥檚 what people want.鈥�

Both Kuhn and Salamanca told the court that 45 states have charter schools, including all the states bordering Kentucky, and praised their performance. They also likened charter schools to magnet schools in Louisville and Lexington that specialize in arts or academic rigor, saying charter schools would focus on serving at-risk youngsters who are not being well served in their current schools.

鈥淜entucky kids are really on the outside looking in on what has been a resounding success, especially in urban areas,鈥� Kuhn said. 鈥淎nd so I really ask the court not to leave Kentucky kids on the outside looking in for this important educational development.鈥�

Leet disputed the success of charter schools.聽鈥淟et me just say there is nothing remotely resembling a consensus that charter schools are a wonderful thing. But frankly, I don鈥檛 think that鈥檚 the issue.鈥� He said the questions before the court hinge on more than a century of legal precedent.

A provision in the law allows school boards in districts with fewer than 7,500 students to veto charter schools. Justice Angela McCormick Bisig questioned whether the provision would create discrepancies in offerings available to students across the state.

Kuhn and Salamanca said charter schools could not be religious and would have to follow numerous regulations including hiring only certified teachers, providing free or reduced-priced meals and following compulsory attendance laws.

Justice Michelle M. Keller in her questions focused on the potential harms from diverting money from existing schools into charter schools that 鈥減arents or the public at large who are actually paying the taxes have no control over. 鈥� We鈥檙e going to be paying the taxes through our property assessment tax we pay now, but we will have zero control over who administers the charter schools,鈥� Keller said, in contrast to elected local boards who now oversee school districts.

鈥楳illion dollar question鈥�

Justice Pamela Goodwine asked what she called the 鈥渕illion dollar question,鈥� noting that since the charter school law was enacted and enjoined, the General Assembly had put on the ballot an amendment giving voters the opportunity to 鈥渆mpower the legislature to use public funds for charter schools.鈥�

鈥淪hould that impact our decision, or should we just ignore the nearly two thirds of the voters who do not wish to have taxpayer funds used in this manner?鈥� Goodwine asked.

Salamanca acknowledged that if voters had approved the amendment 鈥渨e wouldn鈥檛 be here today.鈥�

But he contended that charter schools as they would be governed and operated under the Kentucky law meet constitutional muster.

鈥淭he referendum asked whether the people of Kentucky supported the idea of the General Assembly appropriating money for schools outside the system of common schools. We are not outside the system of common schools.鈥�

Goodwine drew a flutter of laughter when she said, 鈥淪o did the legislature not know how to word the amendment on the ballot or were they trying to mislead the voters?鈥�

The Supreme Court held oral arguments at Centre College鈥檚 Norton Center for the Arts two days this week.

is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Kentucky Lantern maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Jamie Lucke for questions: info@kentuckylantern.com.

In 1999, Bercovici lost her daughter Gabriella, 13, in a tragic bike accident while the family was on vacation in Grand Teton National Park. It was a moment that shattered her world.

鈥淚 don’t want to pretend that I wasn’t in a downward spiral, because I was,鈥� said Bercovici, a Los Angeles native who entered UCLA at 16 and later transferred to UC Berkeley, where she graduated in 1972. 鈥淕abri was my closest friend, we were very, very close. And just to lose her, I felt like my life had come to an end.鈥�

A practicing lawyer at the time, it took Bercovici awhile to find her footing again. She was navigating unimaginable grief.

She credits close friends, family, and the support of her community with helping her begin to heal. One friend shared a newspaper article about an inner-city dance program in Santa Ana. That moment lit a spark.

She decided to leave her legal practice, dedicating herself to building a nonprofit rooted in dance. What began as a small after-school program quickly grew. Over the next five years, the program added 200 weekly classes, reaching 2,000 children across six inner-city sites in and around Echo Park, MacArthur Park and Lafayette Park. 

At age 52, Bercovici took a leap: she opened Gabriella Charter School in 2005, creating an innovative educational model grounded in the arts. 

Nearly two decades later, her work is being recognized. Bercovici was named the, an honor that recognizes leaders driving innovation and equity in public education. 

The award is named after California鈥檚 first charter school founder, Don Shalvey, who opened the state鈥檚 first charter school, San Carlos Charter Learning Center, in 1994.

Still, as Bercovici celebrates her school鈥檚 success, she remains clear-eyed about the challenges facing the charter movement today.

鈥淭he biggest problems confronting charter schools and all schools right now is the drop in enrollment and the impact of the pandemic on academics and as well as children’s mental health and behavior,鈥� Bercovici said.

Gabriella Charter Schools, like many others across the state, are navigating. 

Today, Gabriella Charter Schools serve approximately 800 students across two campuses. Nearly all students are students of color in grades K-8. At Gabriella Charter School 1, nearly 90% of students are classified as low-income, foster youth, or English learners; at Gabriella Charter School 2, that number is closer to 99%.

But this is only part of the story. At Gabriella, every student also learns to dance 鈥� a cornerstone of Bercovici鈥檚 vision from day one.

鈥淢ost charters have a theme or an orientation,鈥� Bercovici said. 鈥淎nd I figured, hey, I鈥檝e learned about dance and how great it is for kids, so why don’t we make a dance theme?鈥�

After retiring in June 2023, Bercovici stayed involved by launching a Friends of Gabriella board, which now supports the school with fundraising and outreach efforts.

While some recent federal education policies under the Trump administration have brought new scrutiny to charter schools, Bercovici said the practical impact remains limited, at least for now.

鈥淥nly a small portion of what the schools receive [comes from the federal government],鈥� Bercovici said. 鈥淢ost money comes from the state. So based on my understanding, funding streams have not been cut off.鈥�

Looking ahead, Bercovici said she plans to continue supporting her school and community. Her deepest joy, she said, comes from being around the students she helped shape.

鈥淲hat makes me happiest and proudest is when I’m around our kids and our alumni.鈥�

Her advice to others facing loss or uncertainty?

鈥淥ne step a day,鈥� Bercovici said. 鈥淵ou just have to keep moving forward and doing the best you can with what you’ve got, and continue to reach out to your community of family and friends.鈥�

This article is part of a collaboration between 社区黑料 and the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism.

But the biggest education story of the week 鈥� one that could change public schools forever 鈥� broke late Friday afternoon at a building two miles away. 

The U.S. Supreme Court, backed by the conservative supermajority Trump secured in his first term, agreed to hear an over whether the law permits public dollars to flow to an explicitly religious charter school. A decision in favor of the first-of-its kind Catholic school could further entangle the government and religion, dramatically altering the historic balance between church and state. 

鈥淭he stakes really couldn’t be higher,鈥� said Derek Black, a law professor at the University of South Carolina. While there are Catholic schools that have converted into , St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School鈥檚 鈥渦ltimate goal,鈥� according to its , is 鈥渆ternal salvation.鈥�

鈥淭he issue,鈥� Black said, 鈥渋s whether a religious entity can operate a charter school that teaches religion as truth.鈥� 

Trump supports and has vowed to bring back to public schools. But he鈥檚 just the most recognizable face of a larger movement that has been building toward this moment 鈥� one that includes governors and state lawmakers, right-leaning think tanks and . Those donors have not only to seat conservative justices, but also helped fund the years of that ultimately landed the school鈥檚 application before the high court. 

the courts have long misapplied Thomas Jefferson鈥檚 famous words about 鈥渁 wall of separation between church and state.鈥� Dismissed by most constitutional experts, this view holds that Jefferson鈥檚 aim was to keep the federal government from interfering with religious freedom 鈥� not to protect the government from the church.

The debate over the school will culminate in oral arguments before the Supreme Court in late April.聽

Governors in Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana, who advocate for weaving the Bible into classroom instruction, have long awaited such a case. 鈥淒enying St. Isidore a charter solely because they鈥檙e religious is flat-out unconstitutional,鈥� Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt . 鈥淭his will be one of the most significant decisions of our lifetime.鈥�

But his state鈥檚 GOP attorney general disagrees. Gentner Drummond鈥檚 office will argue that both state and federal laws clearly require charter schools to be non-sectarian. That view was summed up by American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten, who  reversing the Oklahoma court鈥檚 decision 鈥渨ould drive a dagger into the very idea of public education and strike at the heart of our nation鈥檚 democratic foundations.鈥� 

One justice who won鈥檛 be involved in the decision is Trump鈥檚 most recent Supreme Court appointee. Justice Amy Coney Barrett recused herself from deliberating over whether to hear the case. While the court offered no explanation, Barrett is a longtime friend of Nicole Garnett, the Notre Dame University law professor who advised the Catholic Archdiocese of Oklahoma City and the Diocese of Tulsa on the charter application. Garnett, who had no comment on Barrett鈥檚 recusal, also sits on the board of the , a conservative and libertarian legal organization that has influenced Trump and previous Republican presidents on . 

But attorneys for the school may not need Barrett鈥檚 vote. Four of the other conservative justices 鈥� Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Brett Kavanaugh and Neil Gorsuch 鈥� have all voiced support for greater religious freedom. Over a decade ago, Thomas wrote suggesting states could establish their own Christian denominations. More recently, in , Gorsuch referred to the 鈥渟o-called鈥� separation of church and state in a case over whether Boston should fly a Christian flag outside City Hall.

While Chief Justice John Roberts takes a more to court precedents, he has sided with the conservative majority in all of its most recent church-state cases. Two of them, and , focused on choice programs at religious schools. 

Alliance Defending Freedom, which represents the state鈥檚 charter school board, to conclude that charter schools are inherently private organizations 鈥� not 鈥渟tate actors.鈥� By keeping St. Isadore closed, the Alliance argues, Oklahoma is discriminating against religion and denying families more options. 

鈥淥klahoma parents and children are better off with more educational choices, not fewer,鈥� Jim Campbell, the Alliance鈥檚 chief legal counsel, said in a statement.

In a brief in support of the charter school, eight GOP-led states said that prohibiting the funding of religious charter schools would compromise their ability to award grants or contracts to other sectarian organizations, like orphanages and groups providing scholarships. 

The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools dismissed that fear and said a charter is not 鈥渕erely a grant program.鈥�

鈥淭he charter school is a state-created public school under Oklahoma law, and its actions are state actions,鈥� the organization wrote in its brief. 

Black agreed, saying that the school鈥檚 argument 鈥渉as no grounding in facts or law.鈥�

The court鈥檚 decision to take the case left the law professor with an 鈥渆normous pit鈥� in his stomach. Black worries the justices don鈥檛 fully understand the complexities of public education funding, particularly the differences between charters, vouchers and education savings accounts.

鈥淭hat leads to either honest errors, misunderstandings or the ability of other people to lead you astray,鈥� he said.

Experts say it鈥檚 hard to ignore the strides evangelical Republicans have made at elevating the importance of Christianity in the classroom.

Red states aren鈥檛 just passing voucher programs that allow parents to pay tuition at faith-based schools; they鈥檙e also incorporating Bible lessons into the curriculum. If the court rules in favor of the school, Preston Green, a University of Connecticut education and law professor, predicts religious organizations would suddenly 鈥渃lamour鈥� to open faith-based charters. 

鈥淲e’re on the verge of a new system where religious organizations are going to be among the players鈥� running schools, he said. 鈥淗ow do states deal with that reality?鈥�

In addition to allowing public education funds to support a specific faith, a decision in favor of religious charters could also have a devastating financial impact on traditional districts fighting to prevent enrollment loss, Black said. Oklahoma already offers a tax credit scholarship program for school choice, but it doesn鈥檛 always cover the full tuition at a private school. Families who want their child to have a Christian education might be more likely to flock to a religious charter school where the cost is fully covered, he explained. 

Robert Franklin, a former member of the state鈥檚 charter board, is already thinking about those ramifications. Like public school advocates in other red states, he鈥檚 concerned that expanding private school choice will hit rural schools the hardest and leave less funding for traditional schools.

鈥淥klahoma is a deeply red state,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 don’t think we have an appetite for raising taxes around here to support schools.鈥� 

Franklin has a unique vantage point on the constitutional dispute that began over two years ago. He voted against St. Isidore鈥檚 contract in 2023 and says he felt 鈥渧indicated鈥� last year when the state鈥檚 high court struck it down. But he鈥檚 less confident the U.S. Supreme Court will rule the same way.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a tumultuous moment,鈥� he said. 鈥淭here are a lot of forces pulling the other direction.鈥�

The state Charter Schools Review Board on Monday approved 10-year renewals for 18 charter schools, despite concerns expressed by at least one board member about granting such long terms to some schools with lower academic performance.

鈥淚 know that we don鈥檛 have a choice because we鈥檙e following the law as it is written, but I just have to go on record saying that 鈥� it does not sit well with me to give a 10-year renewal to schools that are performing at a D status,鈥� said board member Shelly Slope.

This debate over renewal lengths is not new. Last year, board member Alex Quigley questioned the necessity of 10-year renewals.

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Other board members have argued that the renewal process is costly for both schools and the state, particularly as the number of charter schools continues to grow.

Under 10-year renewal guidelines, schools must demonstrate that their student academic outcomes for the preceding three years have been comparable to those of students in the local school district. They must also provide sound financial audits and be in compliance with state and federal laws.

in Guilford County, originally slated for a 7-year renewal due to a single year of underperformance, received a 10-year term after three consecutive years of meeting or exceeding growth targets.

The board postponed renewal votes for and until its next meeting, as both schools have yet to submit their required audits.

At least four other schools received five-year renewal terms.

Another ten schools were granted three-year renewals, a designation reserved for schools that show a 鈥減attern of unresolved or consistent issues鈥� and an inability to provide sound audits for the immediately preceding year, or if the school is currently on financial noncompliance disciplinary status. Schools with academic outcomes that have not been comparable to the local school district鈥檚 outcomes but have met growth one year out of the immediately preceding three years, may also be granted three-year renewals.

The board voted not to renew the charter for , citing issues related to financial management, governance, and compliance.

The board also discussed , noting the school had defaulted on small business loans. 鈥淲hen payments were only $600 a month or $7,000 a year, it does concern me that they would have defaulted on that loan,鈥� said a DPI official. 鈥淚t鈥檇 be a big indicator, as I stated before, we do monitor, for us, every school is a one-year school in finance, and so we will be closely monitoring the school expenses, already seeing revenues.鈥�

The board ultimately tabled the renewal decision for United Community School, pending further clarification and information from the school.

The board did vote to grant a three-year renewal for in Halifax County, despite concerns about its low academic performance. This decision reflected the board鈥檚 consideration of the school鈥檚 cultural significance within its community.

鈥淭here is a very, very strong cultural aspect here, community aspect that I fully appreciate for how important this school is for the tribal community,鈥� Board member Bartley Danielsen said.

is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. NC Newsline maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Rob Schofield for questions: info@ncnewsline.com.

A state bill introduced earlier this month comes as elected officials tackle an issue facing cities across the country: how to share state and property tax dollars between public schools that are losing students and charter schools that are gaining them.

The bill targets districts where so many students have left for charter and private schools that fewer than half remain in district schools.

It would shut all five districts, including the Gary Community School Corporation near Chicago, by 2028. Schools would then be turned over to charter schools that would be overseen by new panels appointed by the governor, Indiana charter school boards and local officials. 

If passed, experts say it would be an unprecedented action against a city school district, reaching far beyond temporary state takeovers 鈥� and even the reshaping of New Orleans schools after Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

鈥淚t is sending a message to several school districts that things have to change,鈥� said 

State Rep. Robert Behning, chair of the house education committee where the bill will have its first hearings. 鈥淪tatus quo is not okay.鈥�

Behning said the bill goes too far for his comfort, but it is forcing a discussion about how to better support charter and voucher schools that are popular in the state.

鈥淚t鈥檚 actually encouraging some districts to come up with strategies that could improve academic success for all students,鈥� Behning said.

“I authored this legislation鈥� to find solutions in districts where the current governance is failing its students,鈥� said bill author Jake Teshka, a Republican from the South Bend area.

In Indianapolis, less than 40 percent of students attend schools run by the district. Enrollment fell by more than 900 students in the last year to about 20,000. 

Nearly 27,000 other Indianapolis students attend charter schools or Innovation Schools, an the district helped create. 

The funding difference between traditional districts and charter schools is also driving the bill. A 2023 study found Indianapolis Public Schools spent $18,500 per student with the help of local property taxes, while charters spent roughly $10,600.

Bill author Jake Teshka, a Republican from the South Bend area, said it is unfair for parents that send children to charter schools to pay property taxes to the school district where charters receive little property tax money or transportation for students.

鈥淭heir property taxes are funding a school system they don鈥檛 attend,鈥� he said in a written statement to 社区黑料. 鈥淭his is an important conversation to have.鈥�

Robert Enlow, president and CEO of EDChoice, a national organization promoting charter schools and vouchers, praised the bill for calling attention to the 鈥渕onopoly鈥� districts have on property taxes even as their enrollments fall and charters grow.

鈥淭hey’re only educating 30 percent of the kids, and they’re getting 100 percent of the dollars,鈥� Enlow said. 鈥淭here’s a dramatic and systemic problem with districts who can’t even attract one out of two of their students.鈥� 

The proposal drew immediate protest from the Indianapolis school board, which said the bill 鈥渢hreatens local authority and community control of public schools.鈥�

The Indiana State Teachers Association also opposes the bill.

鈥淩ather than supporting schools and addressing critical issues like poverty and underfunding, House Bill 1136 would unfairly target districts based on student transfers,鈥� union president Keith Gambill wrote. 

The bill also has notable critics in the national charter community, who would prefer a more moderate way of providing charter and voucher schools more resources.

鈥淚t’s a bad idea, for several reasons,鈥� said Michael Petrilli, president of the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, which backs school choice. Petrilli said districts serving only about half of the students still serve a lot of them and a change can鈥檛 happen quickly.

He also said the bill could also bring an unintended backlash.

鈥淧roposals like these give ammunition to opponents who argue that charters are out to destroy traditional public education,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hat’s not what the vast majority of charter leaders and educators are trying to do. We want the public schools to respond to competition and get better.鈥�

He added, however, 鈥淚f policymakers wanted to force IPS and similar districts to close some of its under enrolled schools, that I would support.鈥�

The National Association of Public Charter Schools directed questions to Scott Bess, a member of both the Association鈥檚 board and of the Indiana State Board of Education. Bess is also founder of the new Indiana Charter Innovation Center, which is

Bess wants to find more ways to share property tax revenue, busing and school buildings with charter schools. He鈥檇 like to expand on two bills the state legislature passed in 2023 that – gains from both increased property values and from passing new taxes – with charters based on the percentage of students they serve.

鈥淚f a charter school has 10% of the students who live in that district, then they would get 10% of the proceeds,鈥� Bess said.

He also wants the state to create a regional board as a pilot program to treat all charter, private and district schools in a region as common property, then allocate buildings and busing to operators as best serves students.. Such a plan would be similar to states that have countywide school districts that share all resources with charter schools, he said, 

For such a board to work, districts and charters alike would have to  give up control of buildings and money to the board. That could be a sticking point, Bess said.

鈥淭his is where everything gets complicated,鈥� Bess said. 鈥淭his is why no one has solved this issue across the country, because it’s really complicated.鈥�

Several other local officials, including two former Indianapolis mayors, have joined the call to send more resources – cash, busing or buildings – to charters. In a letter to the Indianapolis Public Schools, they in the city.

鈥淲e call on IPS and legislative leaders to ensure all public school students within IPS boundaries are served by a system that uses its resources fairly and efficiently,鈥� said the letter from former mayors Bart Peterson and Greg Ballard joined by four other current or former city and school officials.

Maggie Lewis, majority leader of the Indianapolis City-County Council and a signer of the letter, said she opposes the bill to close the district. She wants the school board to be part of a local plan to help charters, not one forced by the state. She also said that penalizing the district because it lost students to Innovation Schools it helped create sends the wrong message.

鈥淔or over two decades, Indianapolis has been known as a hotbed for education innovation,鈥� the letter states. 鈥淣ow it is time for Indianapolis leaders to ensure we sustain this progress through needed structural changes.鈥�

The launch of the , an initiative to help train school leaders in their efforts to develop more charter schools in the state, is the latest push for more school choice options in Connecticut.

The fellowship was created out of a partnership between education organization , or LEAD, which has been a strong proponent in an  to open a charter school in Danbury, and , an Indianapolis-based nonprofit that has opened over 50 charter schools in Indiana in the last 18 years.

鈥淲e need something that is transformational and disruptive,鈥� said Jose Lucas Pimentel, the CEO of LEAD, who noted that students of color, particularly Black and Latino students,  their white peers in almost all academic metrics.

鈥淲e realized that 30 years have gone by. Three decades waiting for things, and changes, and conversations, and forums, and speaking and nothing has happened and things have gotten worse,鈥� Pimentel said. 鈥淲e believe, unless somebody suggests some other way, that a charter school 鈥� can be a very creative way to empower leaders, like ourselves, to create a model tailored to our communities.鈥�

The creation of more school choice options has , with advocates arguing that existing public schools aren鈥檛 serving all students鈥� needs and opponents countering that charter schools take away funding from the public school system, which is already stressed with limited resources.

Under the fellowship, four people 鈥� with a preference for Connecticut residents 鈥� will receive a full salary with benefits for up to two years as they undergo 鈥減ersonalized coaching and support from a network of educational and executive leaders,鈥� collaborate with a cohort, travel and engage with other charter schools across the country.

The group will also have access to 鈥渆xpertise and feedback on the school development, Connecticut charter approval, launch and local community engagement processes,鈥� according to the North Star website. Applications opened in late October and fellows are anticipated to be chosen in the spring.

鈥淚 think that every community has different needs and we want to encourage everybody from all demographics to apply,鈥� Pimentel said. 鈥淲hat we鈥檙e looking at in the fellowship are innovative schools that are not just traditional college prep 鈥� almost the same additional school 鈥� but things that prepare kids right out of high school to have life-changing jobs, that can really transform communities, because we have just seen a stagnation, especially in the Latino community.鈥�

The initiative may face challenges, as Connecticut is the only state in the country that requires legislative approval in the creation of charter schools, according to the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools.

Despite an initial approval from the state Board of Education, some charter schools can get delayed or stuck in the legislative process if lawmakers decide not to fund them.

This has been the case for over a handful of years in Danbury, and recently in Middletown, after both schools were  of the state鈥檚 two-year budget during the 2023 legislative session after hours of debate and some lawmakers . A new budget approval process begins in January for the next biennium.

In the past, Sen. Julie Kushner, D-Danbury, and leadership from the Connecticut Education Association, the largest teachers union in the state, had been vocal opponents of charter school expansion in Connecticut. 

Kushner and CEA officials did not respond to recent requests for comment.

But during the 2023 legislative session, Kushner said she believed funding was the biggest barrier for traditional public schools and that a charter school would not be a solution for districts facing overcrowding or large populations of high needs students.

鈥淭here are people like myself and others within the community that have decided the best approach would be to resolve those issues of overcrowding and underfunding by working on improved funding for our traditional public schools,鈥� Kushner told The Connecticut Mirror in a March 2023 interview. 鈥淭hat has been the focus of a lot of [our] opposition. We should invest in really finding good solutions for the whole student population, as opposed to a charter school solution, which would really only address a very small percentage of the student population.鈥�

In 2023  for a proposed bill that would have removed the legislature from the charter school approval process, the Connecticut Education Association also argued charter school funding has outpaced that which is provided to traditional public schools and 鈥渇or some [charter schools] cannibalizing the public school systems in urban districts (and beyond) is the goal.鈥�

The , which made it out of two committees but ultimately failed, was opposed by Sen. Matt Lesser, D-Middletown, who had a proposed charter school in his district in 2023. His opposition to the Capital Preparatory Middletown Charter School garnered from members of the local community, including from NAACP membership.

Lesser, in an interview last week with the CT Mirror said he didn鈥檛 鈥渃onsider himself a charter opponent,鈥� but that 鈥渢here are different dynamics around the state.鈥�

鈥淚 think there have been places where charters are what community is looking for, and they may work, but wherever you鈥檙e looking to change the environment, you should be fundamentally listening to the community in their wants and needs,鈥� Lesser said, adding that there needs to be continued efforts to strengthen traditional public schools and 鈥渕ake sure that everyone is entitled to a world class education.鈥�

Lesser also said he didn鈥檛 know much about the launch of the North Star Fellowship, but did express reservations about a partnership with an out-of-state organization.

鈥淭he fact they鈥檙e looking to bring in out-of-state activists sort of seems like just one more effort to impose a top down solution on Connecticut鈥檚 educational system,鈥� Lesser said.

But, Pimentel said the Indianapolis organization was 鈥渋nvited by an organization that is on the ground and that has deep roots in Connecticut.鈥�

鈥淢ost of us were raised here. Some of us were born here, lived our entire lives here,鈥� Pimentel said of his team. 鈥淭hey didn鈥檛 come to us, 鈥� we went to them and convinced them to come because what they had that we didn鈥檛 is the expertise in running fellowships that work. We have the communities. We have the leaders that want to be trained. 鈥� [The fellowship] is the most homegrown you can possibly get.鈥� 

Pimentel said he hopes the fellowship begins 鈥渢o spread a conversation that needs to be had,鈥� where charter schools aren鈥檛 鈥減itted against traditional schools the way they are now,鈥� and that instead it offers an avenue that promotes innovative curriculum. 

鈥淚鈥檓 not a proponent of all charter schools and some of the legacy ones that been there from the beginning,鈥� Pimentel said.

鈥淲e are a proponent of new kinds of charter schools that are transformational. 鈥� I believe that the gap is going to widen and our people are going to be left behind, and instead of kind of just sitting there and always asking someone else to do something about it, we wanted to pilot a kind of school that will really meet the need of this population,鈥� Pimentel added, referring to the state鈥檚 growing number of multilingual and other high needs students.

Pimentel also said, despite challenges in Danbury and Middletown, that not all charter schools are controversial, pointing to the 2023  of Edmonds Cofield Preparatory Academy for Young Men in New Haven and  in Norwalk.

鈥淚 think that what the fellowship tries to do more is not try to get bogged down into the Danbury issue, because the Danbury issue has not been replicated everywhere else. Most of the state does not have issues with charter schools,鈥� Pimentel said. 鈥淲e sometimes focus so much on the place that it鈥檚 not being accepted, but we see schools doing amazingly well and getting along really well with the ecosystem of schools in their districts, and that鈥檚 what we want.鈥�

This was originally published on .

The case also has large ramifications for the nation鈥檚 charter school sector, potentially settling a debate over whether charters are public or private. 

Last summer, the Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled against St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School. The school appealed the case to the Supreme Court last fall.

A proposed Christian charter school is taking its case to the U.S. Supreme Court, hopeful that a conservative supermajority will offer a sympathetic ear to the notion that schools that practice religion should not be barred from receiving public funds.

and Oklahoma鈥檚 filed separate petitions with the court Monday, asking the justices to decide an issue that could not only upset accepted norms about charter schools, but radically shift legal understanding about the boundaries between church and state. 

While the court might not make a call for months, several experts predict that if it takes up the case, the justices in the majority would likely rule in favor of St. Isidore.

鈥淚 believe that if the Supreme Court decides to review it 鈥� they will reverse the Oklahoma decision and allow the religious charter school,鈥� Martha Field, a Harvard University law professor, said last month on emerging school models held at Harvard. 鈥淚 would not support such a decision, but I believe it is coming.鈥�

The case centers on a dispute over whether or not a public charter school, where students practice religion as part of the curriculum, violates the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. In April, Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond, a Republican, argued that state officials broke the law when they approved the charter 鈥� an argument the state Supreme Court backed in June. But attorneys for the school and religious freedom advocates say St. Isidore is essentially a private contractor that receives public funding to offer a service 鈥� not an arm of the government. 

鈥淭he Supreme Court has made it clear repeatedly in the last few years that if the government opens up a program to private organizations 鈥�  it can’t then say 鈥楤ut if you’re religious, you’re not eligible,鈥� 鈥� said Phil Sechler, senior counsel at Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative Christian law firm and advocacy group that represents the charter board. 鈥淭hat’s essentially what Oklahoma did.鈥�

In response to the petitions, Drummond warned that allowing religious charter schools would open the 鈥渇loodgates鈥� to non-Christian religions like 鈥渞adical Islam or even the Church of Satan.鈥�

In its brief, the charter board said the state鈥檚 stance toward 鈥渕inority faiths鈥� is still 鈥渙pen hostility toward religion鈥� and poses a 鈥済rave threat鈥� to religious parents.

鈥淭hose with progressive values may send their children to progressive charter schools on the state鈥檚 dime. Those who subscribe to the principles of Montessori education may send their children to Montessori charter schools for free,鈥� the petition states. 鈥淏ut religious parents may not avail themselves of this same benefit because the would-be charter school they desire is religious.鈥�

鈥楽tate actors鈥�

During oral arguments in Oklahoma, one judge asked whether the state was being used as a 鈥渢est case鈥� to overturn prevailing legal opinions on church-state separation. A national movement of wants the courts to rule in favor of greater religious freedom in schools. 

Americans United for the Separation of Church and State, an advocacy organization, is suing over Louisiana鈥檚 law that classrooms post the 10 Commandments, and is currently over Oklahoma state Superintendent Ryan Walters鈥檚 mandate that teachers use the Bible in their lessons. 

But one element that could cast doubt on the Supreme Court鈥檚 willingness to hear the Oklahoma case is its refusal last year to take about charter schools 鈥� one that religious freedom advocates hoped would have paved the way for faith-based charters. 

In , three families sued the school, saying its dress code requiring girls to wear skirts violated their constitutional rights. The charter founders argued that as a nonprofit, the school should be free to enforce rules in line with its traditional values, raising the question of whether a charter school is public or private. 

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit said no, and the school appealed to the Supreme Court.

While the justices asked for the U.S. solicitor general鈥檚 , suggesting some were intrigued by the issues presented, they ultimately turned it down.

As the school鈥檚 founders argued in Peltier, supporters of religious charters say that nonprofits, including churches, don鈥檛 automatically become 鈥渟tate actors鈥� because they receive public funds. At that same Harvard conference, Mike Moreland, a Villanova University law professor, offered up an analogy.

鈥淏oeing, by entering into an agreement to produce airplanes as a government contractor for the Pentagon, doesn’t become a state actor,鈥� he said. Charter schools, therefore, don鈥檛 鈥渢urn into state actors for purposes of First Amendment analysis.鈥�

Those who agree with him point to a 1982 case, , in which the Supreme Court said a private school receiving substantial public funding to educate troubled teens was not acting under the 鈥渃olor of state law鈥� when it fired six employees. 

The Ninth Circuit reached a similar conclusion in a more that involved a charter school, but focused on employment issues rather than what students learn in the classroom. 

Those cases could indicate which way the court would lean if it takes the case, said William Jeynes, an at California State University Long Beach, the third panelist at the Harvard event. 

鈥淭he Supreme Court loves precedent,鈥� he said. 

Opponents of religious charter schools say religious freedom proponents are fueling a non-existent debate. 

鈥漇tate laws are clear,鈥� said Starlee Coleman, president and CEO of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools. 鈥淐harter schools are public schools created by the government, and the government is not allowed to establish any religious public schools.”

鈥業ncredibly popular鈥�

Former Justice Stephen Breyer, a liberal, raised the possibility of a religious charter school in a in which the court ruled 5-4 that officials could not exclude a Christian school from a state tax credit scholarship program simply because it was religious.

鈥淲hat about charter schools?鈥� he asked in his dissent, saying that the court鈥檚 ruling introduced 鈥渦ncertainty鈥� about the distinction between public and nonpublic schools. He reiterated his concern in , a 2022 opinion in which the court ruled 6-3 that states with school choice programs can鈥檛 discriminate against schools that teach religion.

The case focused on a Maine program that pays families to attend private school if their own communities lack a public high school. Breyer wrote that requiring states to fund religious schools blurred the lines between public and private entities. He asked if that 鈥渢ransformation鈥� means that districts with charters 鈥渕ust pay equivalent funds to parents who wish to give their children a religious education?鈥�

Six months later, Oklahoma鈥檚 former Attorney General John O鈥機onnor and state Solicitor General Zach West expanded on the majority鈥檚 opinion to say religious organizations should not be prohibited from opening charter schools. When he took office in 2023, Drummond, O鈥機onnor鈥檚 replacement, threw out his predecessor鈥檚 interpretation.

Since then, Drummond has been at odds with fellow Republicans on the issue, including Walters and Gov. Kevin Stitt. Despite his warning that the charter violates the law, the state鈥檚 virtual charter school board voted last October to approve the contract with the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City and the Diocese of Tulsa. That prompted Drummond鈥檚 lawsuit.

When the school and the charter board lost, Stitt said the decision 鈥渟ent a troubling message that religious groups are second-class participants in our education system. Charter schools are incredibly popular in Oklahoma 鈥� and all we鈥檙e saying is: We can鈥檛 choose who gets state dollars based on a private entity鈥檚 religious status.鈥�

Even after the state Supreme Court ruled against the school, the state charter board initially refused to rescind its contract and then joined St. Isidore in appealing the decision to the U.S. Supreme Court. 

Under pressure from Drummond, who called the charter 鈥渁 serious threat to the religious liberty of all four million Oklahomans,鈥� the board finally voided the contract in August. 

While the school was prepared to serve up to 500 students this fall, it received less than half that number of applications.

Despite the court鈥檚 traditional deference to existing case law, Field noted that the current justices haven鈥檛 shown the for previous opinions they disagree with. Overturning is just one example she cited.  

For someone who clerked for former Chief Justice Earl Warren in the 1960s 鈥� when the court prayer and Bible readings in the classroom 鈥� she said it鈥檚 been disconcerting to see the legal ground shift so radically. 

鈥淚t seems that a lot of people here don’t like the Warren court,鈥� she told the Harvard attendees.  鈥淲hen I went to law school, separatism was the doctrine, and we all believe whatever we learned in law school.鈥�

Earlier this spring, Noma Projects took its efforts across the Atlantic, embarking on a weeklong tour of New York City through a series of pop-up events, ranging from book signings to cooking at the Union Square Greenmarket. Among those tour events: a school lunch takeover, closed to the public, in which DREAM Charter School students in grades K-8 were offered sandwiches and yogurt parfaits made using Noma Projects鈥� Pumpkin Seed Praline.

The DREAM Charter event on April 19 was facilitated by , , formerly Noma鈥檚 head chef, that places professional chefs in public foodsystems like schools, senior organizations and prisons.

Through three back-to-back lunch services last month, the Noma Projects team experienced first-hand the challenges 鈥� and joys 鈥� of ensuring students are provided a nutritious, delicious lunch every day. Watch how this unprecedented service went for a team from the world鈥檚 best restaurant as they faced their toughest critics 鈥� schoolchildren.

During the 2023-24 school year, 169 of the state鈥檚 210 charter schools reported having a waitlist, according .

Together, the waitlist totals more than 85,000 students. However, that number could include duplicate students on multiple waitlists, Ashley Baquero, DPI鈥檚 director of the Office of Charter Schools, told the State Board of Education during its May meeting.

“We report on the current status in the past academic year of charter schools every year at this time,” Baquero told the Board during on DPI’s annual charter school report. “For the 2022-23 school year, 10% of enrollment was in North Carolina charter schools, serving over 145,000 students.”

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DPI collects waitlist data from charter schools across the state every year, she said.

This year’s waitlist increased by more than 8,000 students from the year before — up from 77,000 students.

Nearly one in five charter schools (37) had a waitlist of 700 students or more. Nearly 40% (83 schools) had a waitlist of 200 students or more.

Gov. Roy Cooper announced this week as National Charter School Week in North Carolina, saying that 鈥渃harter schools are public schools that increase learning opportunities for all students and provide parents and students with expanded opportunities within the public school system.鈥�

From 2019 to 2022, charter school enrollment in North Carolina  鈥� the fifth highest growth rate in the nation, according to DPI鈥檚 2022 report to the General Assembly.

At the same time, North Carolina Republican lawmakers have recently expanded school choice, through both private schools and charters, which are public schools with more flexibility than traditional public schools. While charter schools demonstrate some of the choice already available in the public school system, traditional public schools  for most of the state鈥檚 students.

During her report, Baquero noted the impact of recent legislation on charter schools in North Carolina.

鈥淪ince last year鈥檚 report, the charter sector has experience significant legislative changes,” she said.

First, Baquero noted legislation that created the Charter School Review Board (CSRB) — granting the review board sole authority to approve or deny charter applications, renewals, and material changes.

Before that law was passed, charter school applications were reviewed by the Charter School Advisory Board (CSAB), which recommended to the State Board of Education which applications should be approved or denied. The CSAB no longer exists.

鈥淭his action will make the application process more efficient, more cost-effective, and much more streamlined for all stakeholders involved,鈥� , a primary sponsor of the bill, previously said of .

Other legislation passed last year impacting charter schools includes:

• The review Board no longer considers impact statements from school districts regarding the impact of a charter school opening in the area.
• Charter schools that are not low-performing can now set their enrollment each year. Previously, this cap had to be approved by the State Board of Education if it exceeded a 30% growth rate. Low-performing charter schools can now ask the state Board to grow more than 20%.
• The 2023 budget also laid out a process for charter schools to offer remote academies, which you can view .

There are three new charters scheduled to open in fall 2024, Baquero said — down from 12 schools originally approved to open. Since then, many schools have asked for delays. There are 16 charter schools scheduled to open in 2025, she said.

This year’s charter school application period opened on Jan. 26 and closed on April 26. DPI received 14 applications during the cycle, Baquero told the Board.

Charter school attendance and performance

Historically, some critics of charter schools have said that  than traditional public schools.

North Carolina charter schools are more white than traditional public schools, the report shows — 47% versus 43%.

鈥淵ou can see that over the years, we鈥檝e seen the (local education agency鈥檚) ethnic and racial data fairly aligned to charter schools,鈥� Baquero told the Board last June. 鈥淭he biggest difference we always see is with the Hispanic population.鈥�

A new published by the Civil Rights Project at UCLA found that North Carolina public schools are becoming increasingly segregated by race — and at a larger rate in charter schools. In North Carolina, charter schools had the largest share of public schools where students of color make up 99% or more of the student body, according to the report.

“North Carolina鈥檚 public school enrollment is increasingly multiracial, and the expansion of school choice means that a growing share of students attend charters and private schools, both of which tend to be more segregated than traditional public schools,” the report says.

According to DPI’s presentation, charters enrolled a larger share of Asian, Black, and white students in 2023 compared to all public schools, but fewer Hispanic students.

DPI data also show that traditional public schools consistently enroll a larger share of students with disabilities, English learners, and economically disadvantaged students. Traditional public schools enroll twice the amount of English learners that charter schools do.

There has been an increase in the number of economically disadvantaged students at charters in the state, Baquero said, but there is still a gap. In 2023, 51% of all public school students were economically disadvantaged, compared to 38% of all charter schools.

Several factors play into this gap, including transportation, the National School Lunch Program, federal Medicaid direct certification, and charter reporting.

In North Carolina, state statute  that charter schools are supposed to develop a plan to ensure 鈥渢hat transportation is not a barrier to any student.鈥� However, unlike traditional public schools, charters are not required to offer formal transportation and busing services for students. Charters are also not required to provide free and reduced school lunches, though the number that do has risen in North Carolina in recent years.

“The state legislature should strengthen its charter school regulation by holding charter schools accountable for diverse student enrollment practices and require that charter schools offer transportation and free or reduced-price lunch to qualifying students,” the UCLA report says.

Baquero said more than 70 charter schools have been approved to offer weighted lotteries, “give additional weight to individual students who are identified as part of a specified set of students falling under the educationally disadvantaged definition.” This could include students who are economically disadvantaged, students with disabilities, migrant students, immigrant students, English learners, and homeless or unaccompanied youth.

As charter schools increase services to provide access, Baquero said schools must make sure parents and students know about such services.

“Charters are driven by demand and choice, so school leaders and boards must understand how everything from how you market and communicate to parents to communicating admissions procedures and school services are critical for parents to understand accessibility,” she said.

DPI data also show that charter schools and traditional public schools , based on school performance grades and school growth.

Here鈥檚 a look at comparison data of low-performing (LP) and continually low-performing (CLP) schools, at the charter and district level. You can see the percentage for both markers was similar in 2023 among charters and traditional public schools (27% LP & 25% CLP in charters, compared to 29% LP & 26% in traditional public schools).

You can view DPI’s full 2023 report on charter schools .

This first appeared on and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

A massive that expands a private school scholarship program and opens up Boone County to charter schools squeaked out of the Missouri House and to the governor鈥檚 desk on Thursday, winning the bare minimum number of votes needed for passage.

The 153-page bill, sponsored by Republican state Sen. Andrew Koenig of Manchester, is estimated to cost taxpayers $468 million when fully implemented. It passed 82-69 and heads to Gov. Mike Parson. Three Democrats joined with 79 Republicans in support of the bill, with 45 Democrats and 24 Republicans voting against.

State Rep. Phil Christofanelli, a St. Peters Republican, carried the Senate bill and sponsored the legislation in 2021 that created the tax-credit scholarships, called MOScholars.

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He said during Thursday鈥檚 debate that the bill combines his interest in the MOScholars program with investment in rural schools.

鈥淲e put together a package that serves all the diverse interests in education,鈥� Christofanelli said.

The original bill was 12 pages, but led to the inclusion of over a hundred pages of education legislation.

鈥淲e鈥檙e all going to take a step together,鈥� Christofanelli said Thursday. 鈥淭his is the most substantive investment in public education that this state has ever seen.鈥�

Lawmakers filed 53 amendments prior to the vote, but none were allowed by GOP leadership  to offer them for consideration.

Rep. Paula Brown, a Democrat from Hazelwood, said during debate that the Senate was controlling the process.

鈥淭his is an esteemed chamber, and we鈥檙e acting like we don鈥檛 matter,鈥� she said.

Christofanelli said the Senate had listened to concerns, and amendments were made to another bill Wednesday to smooth over issues with the larger package.

鈥淢y concern was that if I did those changes on this bill and sent it back into the Senate, it would get caught in the abyss and we would never have a law at the end,鈥� he said.

He gathered input from key lawmakers, and delivered suggestions to the Senate. Then, Wednesday evening, the a new version of on full-time virtual schools.

The House passed this second bill, with the fixes, after approving the larger education package.

Although the bill has measures to boost teacher salaries and school-district funding, Democrats had concerns. Many focused on the estimated cost.

鈥淭his is a bill that has some great, shiny things that we like in exchange for some really bad (things),鈥� said House Minority Leader Crystal Quade, a Springfield Democrat. 鈥淏ut as we鈥檝e talked about, the real problem with this bill is the amount of money we have.鈥�

Democrats from Boone County also spoke against the addition of charter schools in their community.

State Rep. David Tyson Smith, a Democrat from Columbia, called the bill 鈥減oison鈥� to Boone County.

鈥淥ur schools are accredited. We don鈥檛 need this bill,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e are hanging on by a razor鈥檚 edge financially already. You bring charter schools into Boone County, which is what this bill specifically does, and it hurts us.鈥�

As the final votes rolled in and the bill鈥檚 passage was assured, Koenig sat on the House dais, smiling as the bill he has called his top legislative priority made it across the finish line.

is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Missouri Independent maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Jason Hancock for questions: info@missouriindependent.com. Follow Missouri Independent on and .

By the time Kelly Santos found the Education Freedom Account program, she felt out of options.

The Hudson resident had fought for years for disability accommodations for her son James at his public school, beginning in the first grade. By his fourth grade year, she had arranged letters from teachers and had paid $5,000 for a neuropsychological exam to prove to school administrators that he needed help. But without a formal evaluation, the accommodations did not appear.

鈥淚 fought to keep him with his community and his friends,鈥� she said, speaking to members of the State Board of Education this month to advocate for the program. 鈥淪pecial education did not work for me because I could not get past step one, which is evaluation.鈥�

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Santos applied for local charter schools, but lost the lotteries necessary for admission. Then she found the Education Freedom Account program, and with it, an opportunity to send James to Second Nature Academy in Nashua.

It鈥檚 changed her son鈥檚 relationship to school, she says. 鈥淲hen I asked James, 鈥榃hat鈥檚 the difference between your old school and your new school?鈥� he said to me: 鈥楳om I was sitting in a prison and I was bored鈥� And when I went up to my new school that was the key that let me out of jail,鈥欌�� Santos said.

鈥淚f it wasnt for the EFA, we would have been stuck without a school to go to,鈥� she said.

The program is continuing to see similar interest. More than 4,200 New Hampshire students are participating in the Education Freedom Account program this school year 鈥� a 158 percent jump from the first year鈥檚 enrollment.

But most new participants are not following Santos鈥檚 exact path: 28 percent of the 1,577 new students this year transferred directly from public school. The others were either homeschooled or attending non-public schools before they transferred.

In total, the state will spend $22.1 million toward EFAs this school year, up from $8.1 million in the 2021-2022 school year and $14.7 million in the 2022-2023 school year, according to numbers released by the Department of Education Thursday. That money comes out of the state鈥檚 Education Trust Fund, which spends about $1 billion per year on public education. The enrollment grew by 20 percent since last year.

Launched in 2021, the Education Freedom Account program allows parents to take the state education funding dollars that would go to their child鈥檚 public school and use them for private and homeschooling expenses instead. To qualify, families must have an income below 350 percent of the federal poverty level 鈥� or $105,000 for a family of four.

Republicans, including Education Commissioner Frank Edelblut, have hailed the initiative as a means for lower-income families to receive assistance to enroll their children in programs they might not otherwise be able to afford, providing alternatives if the public school is not a good fit.

But Democrats have criticized the program as wasteful and unnecessary, and argued that the Education Trust Fund dollars should be exclusive to public schools. Democrats have attempted unsuccessfully to both repeal the program and , including that students be attending public school before they can receive the vouchers. Currently, the vouchers are also available to qualifying families that don鈥檛 attend public schools.

This year, the Republican-led Legislature increased the eligibility for the program the income cap from 300 percent of the federal poverty level 鈥� where the program started 鈥� to 350 percent. Some Republicans, including gubernatorial candidates Chuck Morse and Kelly Ayotte, removing the income caps entirely in the future.

An examination of the latest numbers reveals some differences between public school students and EFA recipients. There are 4,211 students who receive EFAs and just over 160,000 students in New Hampshire public schools this year.

Of the students receiving EFAs this year, about 44 percent are enrolled in free or reduced price lunch program, meaning their families make below 185 percent of the federal poverty level, or $55,500 for a family of four. That represents a higher proportion than in public schools, where 26 percent of students are in the free or reduced lunch program.

Of all EFA recipients, 6.3 percent are receiving additional state funding for special education services. In public schools, 20 percent of students receive special education funding.

The state is spending an average of $5,255 per EFA recipient this year, according to the Department of Education. That鈥檚 a higher amount than in previous years and comes after the Legislature raised the base amount of state funding that schools receive per pupil in the two-year budget passed in June. The state is spending $6,161 per student in public schools this year, according to the department.

Among the 4,211 students receiving EFAs, 1,577 are new to the program this school year and 2,634 are returning. Since the last school year, 109 students have graduated, 75 have re-enrolled in public schools, and 524 have made 鈥渙ther exits,鈥� a category not defined by the department.

In a statement Thursday, Edelblut praised the increased numbers, saying 鈥渋t is apparent that New Hampshire families are taking advantage of this tremendous opportunity that provides them with different options and significant flexibility for learning.鈥�

鈥淲ith three years of data under our belt, we know that students are coming and going from the program, which is exactly how it was designed 鈥� to allow various options for personal learning needs that may fluctuate from year-to-year based on whatever path is appropriate in the moment,鈥� Edelblut said.

Megan Tuttle, president of the National Education Association of New Hampshire, the state鈥檚 largest teacher鈥檚 union, disagreed, accusing Edelblut of 鈥�(focusing) his energy on a small sliver of the population that was never in public schools.鈥�

鈥淟et鈥檚 be clear 鈥� vouchers take scarce funding away from public schools and give it to private and religious schools that are unaccountable to the public,鈥� Tuttle said in a statement Friday. 鈥淭axpayer funds should be spent to resource neighborhood public schools to ensure they are desirable places to be and to learn, where students鈥� natural curiosity is inspired.鈥�

is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. New Hampshire Bulletin maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Dana Wormald for questions: info@newhampshirebulletin.com. Follow New Hampshire Bulletin on and .

The idea for a Jewish charter school in Oklahoma could gather steam following last week鈥檚 hotly contested vote to approve a virtual Catholic charter school in the state.

鈥淭his is the logical progression in terms of what the Constitution says,鈥� said Peter Deutsch, who veers sharply from his party on the issue. 鈥淚 still believe in a lot of things the Democrats believe in, but school choice is a civil rights issue in this generation.鈥�

A Jewish charter would allow Deutsch to offer families something he couldn鈥檛 when he founded Ben Gamla Charter School in Hollywood, Florida, in 2007 鈥� an education not only focused on Hebrew language, culture and history, but the tenets of Judaism. 

It also opens a window into a sometimes uncomfortable intersection of church, state and market forces as Oklahoma pushes the nation into uncharted legal territory.

鈥淚 always know it’s a hot topic when my phone blows up before it’s on the cover of the Wall Street Journal or CNN,鈥� Maury Litwack, founder of Teach Coalition, said Friday during about the Catholic charter. With groups in Florida, Maryland, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania, the coalition is affiliated with the Orthodox Union, which supports synagogues and youth programs. 

Deutsch visited Oklahoma in January to meet with Jewish leaders. But not all groups share his interest. After last week鈥檚 vote, the Jewish Federation of Greater Oklahoma City, a nonreligious group, called the charter board鈥檚 decision unconstitutional. 

The Statewide Virtual Charter Board voted 3-2 to approve the St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School despite warnings from Attorney General Gentner Drummond that it violates state law.

Drummond is currently . In his opinion, a board member added just three days before the decision technically shouldn鈥檛 have voted because state law says new appointments don鈥檛 take effect until Nov. 1. Bob Bobek, a former state board of education member, replaced Barry Beauchamp, a retired superintendent. Before the vote, Robert Franklin, the board鈥檚 chair, asked Bobek to recuse himself, but he refused. 

The possible invalidation of the vote would likely be only a temporary setback because the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City and the Diocese of Tulsa can appeal to the state board. Brett Farley, executive director of the Catholic Conference of Oklahoma, a policy organization, said he has even 鈥渕ore confidence in that scenario鈥� because Gov. Kevin Stitt, who the application, appointed the board members.

The case for religious charters could also get considerable ballast if the U.S. Supreme Court agrees to hear a that asks whether charter schools are public or private. On June 22, the U.S. Supreme Court will discuss whether to hear Charter Day School Inc. v. Peltier, in which a charter school argues that because it鈥檚 a nonprofit, it should be free to enforce a dress code requiring girls to wear skirts. 

Both charter leaders and advocates for religious freedom say the court could help settle the debate over whether charters can explicitly teach religion. If the court declines to hear it, a decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit that charters are public schools acting on behalf of the state would stand.

鈥淭he 4th Circuit is a major loss鈥� for those pushing for religious charters, said Derek Black, a University of South Carolina law professor. 鈥淎nd if the Supreme Court declines to hear it, that is a major affirmation of that loss.鈥�

But others agree with Deutsch that some parents want publicly funded educational options that include faith-based schools.  

鈥淵es, we have to follow the law,鈥� Lynn Norman-Teck, executive director of the Florida Charter School Alliance, said about the that charters be nonsectarian. But she added that charter schools 鈥渁bsolutely鈥� have to understand parent demand 鈥渁nd the evolution of education.鈥�

She remembers when Deutsch was trying to convince the Broward County Board of Education to approve the first Ben Gamla school, two years after he left Congress following a failed Senate run.

Some worried it would be hard to divorce the instruction of Hebrew, the language of Judaism, from teaching the faith itself.

Eleanor Sobel, then a school board member and later a state senator, was among the most outspoken opponents, telling reporters that it would be to monitor whether Judaism was actually part of the curriculum. Even after it opened, the board told the school to until officials were satisfied that teachers weren鈥檛 advocating religion. The restriction a few weeks later.

Norman-Teck said she doesn鈥檛 hear those concerns anymore and that Ben Gamla, now a network of six schools, serves a diverse population including Black and Caribbean students. 

鈥淭hey proved the board wrong,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hey were very careful that that line wasn鈥檛 crossed.鈥�

But a lot has changed in Florida in 16 years. If he was developing the school today, Deutsch said he would establish 鈥渁 Jewish voucher school鈥� because of the explosion of private school choice in Florida. In fact, in Florida鈥檚 Jewish day schools were receiving a state scholarship even before Gov. Ron DeSantis signed legislation in March that made all students eligible for a voucher or education savings account worth about $8,500.

Ironically, an Oklahoma charter would allow Deutsch to accomplish something his critics in Florida feared he would do there: create a public school with an explicitly Jewish curriculum.

With the political hurdle in Oklahoma largely eliminated, Deutsch said his biggest problem might be practical: finding enough interested Jews to fill a school.

鈥淚 spoke with every Jew I could find near Oklahoma City,鈥� Deutsch said. Currently, that鈥檚 a small number; of Oklahoma鈥檚 nearly 4 million residents are Jewish. But he added, 鈥淭here are families that I believe would move to Oklahoma if there was a Jewish religious charter school.鈥�

Friday鈥檚 virtual webinar featured Michael Helfand of Pepperdine University and Notre Dame University鈥檚 Nicole Garnett 鈥� both law professors who focus on religious liberty. Garnett argues religious organizations that want to open charters should be able to receive public funds, much like faith-based adoption agencies and soup kitchens.

But Helfand is less convinced that if the Supreme Court takes up the North Carolina case, justices will rule that charters are private. Despite recent decisions favoring public funds for religious schools, he expects the court will decide it鈥檚 time for some 鈥渂oundaries on this kind of general momentum.鈥�

鈥淚t will go to [the] courts to ultimately decide,鈥� Robert Franklin, chairman of  the five-member Statewide Virtual Charter School Board, said during a two-hour meeting Tuesday.

The board unanimously turned down the application from the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City to open the St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School, giving them 30 days to revise their plan. Its remaining questions largely sidestep the church-state issues that have galvanized the nation鈥檚 attention. Instead, they deal primarily with more basic K-12 issues, like special education services, internet for students in rural areas and academics.

Brett Farley, executive director of the Catholic Conference of Oklahoma, a policy organization, said most of those areas have already been addressed and won鈥檛 take 30 days to resolve. He has on whether the school would allow LGBTQ students and staff. If the board ultimately rejects the application, the archdiocese can then appeal to the state board of education.

鈥淭his is far from over,鈥� he said, adding that the request for revisions is typical. 

The attention to the vote comes not just from those who argue the proposal would violate the First Amendment, but also from the broader charter community. Opponents say that as public schools, charters . A charter, they say, is not the same as a private, religious school that students attend with a voucher because, in the latter case, the parent, not the government, makes that choice. Supporters of the concept contend that states shouldn鈥檛 discriminate against religious organizations and that granting the charter would lead to greater accountability for religious schools accepting public funds. 

鈥楢 snowball鈥�

The vote followed public comments from six opponents of the application, including religious leaders. They argued that approval would compromise religious liberty and eventually lead to brick-and-mortar religious charters.

鈥淲e’re going to watch this decision roll down a hill, and it’ll turn into a snowball that’s so big it can’t be controlled anymore,鈥� said Rev. Shannon Fleck, executive director of the Oklahoma Conference of Churches.

Gov. Kevin Stitt supports the application. But in newly elected Attorney General Gentner Drummond withdrew an opinion from his predecessor indicating the board would be on solid legal ground if they approved it. 

During the meeting, no member of the public backed the proposal. State Superintendent Ryan Walters, a non-voting member of the board, branded opponents 鈥渞adical leftists鈥� whose 鈥渉atred for the Catholic Church blinds them from doing what’s best for kids.鈥�

Franklin rejected that view.

鈥淣o disrespect to you,鈥� he said, 鈥渂ut I didn’t hear a radical position, nor did I hear an attack to the Catholic Church.鈥�  

Deputy Attorney General Niki Batt, counsel to the board, spelled out that current law states charter schools are nonsectarian and that public schools must be free from religious control. She said she understood how the members could be confused by the conflicting opinions.聽

Board Member Scott Strawn suggested there鈥檚 鈥渕ore gray鈥� on this issue than Batt advised and wondered if he could be personally sued 鈥渆ven if there’s a good faith disagreement about unsettled law.鈥�

Franklin noted that members are free to seek individual legal representation. 

鈥淓ach of us [has] to make our own decisions,鈥� he said. 

Phil Bacharach, spokesman for Drummond鈥檚 office, said 鈥渢he attorney general naturally would defend the state and the constitution.鈥�

Drummond hopes the U.S. Supreme Court will agree to hear a North Carolina case, , which addresses whether charter schools are public or private, and could fundamentally alter the choice landscape in the U.S. The court is currently waiting on the Justice Department to weigh in on the case, which is expected this spring. 

In a statement, Rachel Laser, president and CEO of Americans United for Separation of Church and State 鈥� one of the organizations that has threatened to sue if the board grants the charter 鈥� said officials made the right call 鈥� for now. But the organization remains concerned the board will ultimately approve it.

鈥淚t鈥檚 hard to think of a clearer violation of the religious freedom of Oklahoma taxpayers and public-school families than the state establishing the nation鈥檚 first religious public charter school,鈥� she said. 鈥淭his would be a sea change for American democracy.鈥�

Attorney General Gentner Drummond last week withdrew his predecessor鈥檚 supporting an application for a Catholic virtual charter school, saying he was uncomfortable advising the charter board to violate the state constitution鈥檚 ban on funding religious schools. Approval of such a school could 鈥渃reate a slippery slope鈥� and require the state to spend public dollars on charter schools 鈥渨hose tenets are diametrically opposed鈥� to the beliefs of many Oklahomans, to Rebecca Wilkinson, executive director of the Statewide Virtual Charter School Board. 

Wilkinson had no comment on the withdrawal of the opinion. But Brett Farley, executive director of the Catholic Conference of Oklahoma, a policy organization, said representatives from the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City plan to meet with her before the board鈥檚 March 14 board meeting to discuss 鈥減rocedural questions.鈥�

Gov. Kevin Stitt and state Superintendent Ryan Walters disagree with Drummond’s suggestion that the ultimate authority on whether the state can allow a religious charter school is the U.S. Supreme Court. The justices are considering whether to hear a 4th Circuit Court of Appeals case that focuses on whether charter schools are public or private. Drummond said he hopes they do. In the meantime, even if the state’s virtual charter board approves the application, a legal challenge is likely to follow.

鈥淲e would certainly give very serious consideration to filing litigation if the application is approved, in consultation with affected Oklahoma taxpayers, parents, educators and others,鈥� Alex Luchenitser, associate vice president and associate legal director at Americans United for Separation of Church and State, said in an email to 社区黑料.

Kenneth Upton, Americans United鈥檚 senior litigation counsel, urged the charter board during its Feb. 14 meeting to reject the application for St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School. As public schools, he said, charters are subject to the First Amendment and, therefore, must 鈥渂e neutral on issues of religion.鈥�

He summarized the question raised in , the 4th Circuit case from North Carolina. 

In that case, the that charter schools act on behalf of the state, just like traditional schools. But the Leland, North Carolina, charter school argues that because it鈥檚 a nonprofit, it should have the flexibility to adopt a dress code requiring girls to wear skirts. Families sued over the rule, saying it violated girls鈥� civil rights.

鈥淓ven if charter schools were private entities instead of public schools, they still are state actors under U.S. Supreme Court precedent,鈥� Upton said.

That means, he said, that charters can鈥檛 teach religion, sponsor prayer, discriminate based on religion or require students to take part in religious activities. 

The Supreme Court is waiting on the Biden administration鈥檚 opinion on the case before deciding whether to hear it. To Aaron Streett, Charter Day School’s attorney, that鈥檚 encouraging.

鈥淚t indicates that the court views this as an important case that may merit further review,鈥� he said. 鈥淕iven that the court denies 99% of petitions outright, the court鈥檚 expression of interest here is a positive sign.鈥�

filed an amicus brief stressing the gravity of the decision before the court.

鈥淭he question presented in this case 鈥� warrants this court鈥檚 attention because it may dictate whether such schools can continue to exist,鈥� they wrote. 

The opinion from U.S. Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar is expected in the spring.

For now, it鈥檚 unclear whether the virtual charter board in Oklahoma will proceed with a vote on the archdiocese’s application. If it does, just three politically appointed board members will make the decision. Two seats are vacant.

Walters, a non-voting board member, said he believes 鈥減arents should have the choice to send their children to schools of faith.鈥�

Stitt said he stands by former Attorney General John O鈥機onnor鈥檚 December opinion, which suggested that recent Supreme Court rulings on school choice provide a legal foundation for a religious charter school.

In Friday, Stitt said he disagrees with Drummond鈥檚 interpretation of the law and 鈥�100%鈥� supports the charter application. 

鈥淚 think that’s great, just like if the Jewish community wants to set up a charter school, or the Muslim community,鈥� he said. 鈥淚’ve got friends across all walks of faith.鈥�

In the years leading up to the pandemic, dual language immersion was . Dual language programs teach academic content in two languages, and 鈥� optimally 鈥� balance their enrollment roughly equally between native speakers of each language.聽

In those 鈥渢wo-way鈥� dual language immersion classes, native English speakers and (for example) native Spanish speakers learn both languages together 鈥� and learn academic content in both languages.聽

These programs don鈥檛 just facilitate integration. They are also to support the linguistic and academic development of English learners. But the of these programs with , English-dominant, often white families (including my own) means that the reality often falls short of that ideal.聽

In August, a new dual language school in Nashville, Tennessee will aim to bring that ideal to their community. To learn more about Aventura Community School, the first local charter school to be approved in more than five years, I recently spoke to two of its co-founders, executive director Natalie Morosi and family engagement director Diana Aguilar. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity.聽

社区黑料: How did you come to education? How did you come to Nashville? How did you get excited about bilingual education? What’s the story that brought you to this room here?

Natalie Morosi: I grew up here in middle Tennessee, in an English-speaking family. I started to study languages in high school鈥攎y counselor told me that learning a second language would open doors and open the world to you, and she was right! 

Through opportunities to travel and study and things, I just really saw the value of being bilingual or multilingual; also because it helped me build meaningful relationships and enjoy art in different ways. So when I began my career in education, there was an existing bilingual school here in Nashville, so I signed up to teach at that school. 

I was there for nine years, but it serves mostly English-speaking families. I really saw potential, with the success of the school and the interest in the school, it seemed that our district would likely add a second bilingual option, ideally in the part of town that has diverse families that have diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds.

And then, after a while, seeing that the district hadn’t done that, we kind of decided, maybe it was time to start our own bilingual charter school. So we navigated that application process over the 2020-2021 school year, and here we are ready to open in August.

Diana Aguilar: I’m originally from Ecuador. I spent 18 years of my life there and then I moved here. So definitely bilingualism is very important for me, because you know, it was my lifeline.

All through elementary and high school, English classes are taught in Ecuador, because people are aware that kids need it to become successful adults. But I never went to an actual bilingual school. So when I got here, it was a little bit terrifying taking the SAT.

But it worked out and I got into education. I majored in Spanish 鈥� my goal was to teach Spanish.

But then my mentality kind of changed, as I noticed all of the English learners who needed to see somebody who looked like me, that understood where they were coming from. I decided to get my degree in EL instruction.

I worked as a translator for a few years, and then I went to teach kindergarten for three years, and then I taught third grade with Natalie, which is where we met. I still remember her then: her creative mind and her ideas and passion for education, equity and justice.

It’s been a nice journey to see all of those come to life in this school. I showed up at a session Natalie was doing for prospective Aventura parents 鈥� I didn鈥檛 even tell her I was coming, I was just there 鈥� and then I kind of lingered at the end and I told her, just sign me up to help for whatever. I wanted to jump on board. Because I just feel there’s such a need for people to open their minds and see all the benefits that come with being bilingual and being able to communicate with another person and to connect with that person at a deeper level. 

Also, I have kids of my own now, and it is so important for them to keep that connection to our language and culture. Most of my family speaks Spanish. How else are they going to talk to each other?

You鈥檝e both mentioned equitable access to bilingual education as a part of why you鈥檙e starting the school. Tell me about the community where Aventura鈥檚 going to be located. Tell me about the students there. 

Morosi: Yeah! We鈥檙e opening in Southeast Nashville, which is the most diverse area of Nashville. Our goal is for Aventura to be reflective of the community. 

For our dual language model, we will hopefully have around 40 to 50 percent of students who speak Spanish at home and around 40 to 50 percent of students who speak English at home. And then there are families who speak other languages. In Nashville, the most common of other global languages would be Arabic or Kurdish.

Families see the value in developing literacy in English and Spanish: both from an economic perspective, and also a 鈥榖eing able to interact authentically with my neighbors鈥� perspective. We focus on global competence, and bilingual education is a big piece of that, but we’re also bringing a really purposeful approach to project-based learning. We’ve developed collaborative partnerships with many, many community organizations even prior to opening. Students will be working on projects in Spanish and English each quarter and creating some sort of a product, to the benefit of their community.

With more than a decade of education experience here, as well as abroad, this is the education I want for my own kids. Even better, so many other families tell us they are also excited about this opportunity.

You’re both sending your children to Aventura, no?

Morosi: That’s right! I can’t wait for the first day of school in August. My daughter will be in first grade and my son will be in kindergarten. 

Aguilar: My son didn’t make the cut 鈥� he鈥檚 already in second grade and we鈥檙e just launching with kindergarten and first鈥攂ut he鈥檚 been volunteering since day one. And I have a 3-year-old 鈥� she鈥檚 already talking about when she gets to go to “Commuty School”鈥� that’s how she says it.

Morosi: And then our third co-founder, Katie Castellon, her son is going to be joining for kindergarten next year. So we’re all very, very invested in this model.

Tell me about the model鈥攊t鈥檚 a two-way dual language immersion school, right? 

Morosi: Yes. In kindergarten we’re going to start with 80 percent of the day in Spanish and 20 percent of the day in English. They’ll always have English literacy in English, of course, and then one of our enrichment classes also 鈥� P.E. or music or something like that 鈥� and then everything else will be in Spanish.

And then we’re going to kind of stair step more English each year, so it’ll be 70 percent in Spanish in first grade, 60 percent in Spanish in second grade and then from third grade through eighth grade, instruction will be half of the day in each language 鈥� always focused on developing literacy in both languages at every level.

Why take the charter route? 

Morosi: It’s really important for us that we have the freedom to implement all the details of our model in the way that the research suggests is best for both our native English- speaking students and our global language speakers. We also really believe in project-based learning, so we wanted to be able to select our own instructional materials. 

So, we adopted a curriculum that really supports this model and that we’re able to implement in both languages. We picked an assessment system that helps us track the literacy development of our students in both languages and provide support. 

Being a charter school gives us so much more freedom and independence in selecting the tools that best serve our program.

I鈥檝e heard this sort of thing a lot from dual language charter schools. 

Morosi: It also speaks to the professional piece: staff recruitment and development. The freedom and independence as a charter school is just going to allow us to find, hire and support teachers who are prepared to execute our precise, wonderful, complicated school model.

How are you finding teachers? I know that dual language schools can be tough to staff. 

Morosi: Sure. All of our classroom teachers need to be bilingual and we’re aiming for at least one of those classroom teachers to be a native speaker. But I think our unique program has drawn people to us. We hear lots of 鈥淣ashville has needed something like this for a long time, how can I get involved?鈥欌�� type of things. 

So, ha, obviously it鈥檚 hard to launch a new school, and, ahem, it鈥檚 probably more than a little harder to start one in a pandemic. So, um, how鈥檚 that going? 

Morosi: Well, Aventura had been a dream for a long time, and informal conversations with educator friends and parent friends and many conversations with my husband, but we were living in Madrid, we had been there for three years. When the pandemic hit, after about two weeks we realized, 鈥楾his is going to take a while. We have to move home to Nashville.鈥� 

And then, we had to figure out what the heck we were going to do for work when we moved back, and thought, 鈥楢h, that school that Nashville has needed for so long, maybe now’s the time to learn how to submit a charter application and test it.鈥�

So I connected with the which has a fellowship to support leaders who want to open new intentionally diverse charter schools. So we started writing the charter application in summer of 2020, right in the middle of the pandemic. 

I would say it’s been challenging from a student recruitment standpoint. We haven’t been able to reach larger numbers of families and hold the types of events that we would have liked to, but we were lucky to be able to host some fall events and collaborate with some of our community partners, especially during .

You鈥檝e both talked about this a little already, but 鈥� how is Nashville responding as you get closer to launch? 

Morosi: I was nervous about the politics, because we had both been public school teachers and so we know that charter schools can be political for one reason or another. So we worked really hard to communicate with the grass-tops and the grassroots in the community, so to speak, because this is a school model we really believe in. And we were the first charter school to be approved locally in more than five years.

People are excited about this school, even those who might not be inclined to support charter schools. I think it鈥檚 because this is a school that is really serving populations intentionally in a new and needed way.

Aguilar: One mom called me and she said, 鈥業 was so excited you guys are going to open. I was planning on taking my kid to Mexico in second grade for a year, so that he will learn the language.鈥� And I was like, 鈥榊ou don’t have to move your family! You can stay!鈥�

It鈥檚 bilingual education, but it鈥檚 also the community focus, the global competence. We鈥檙e really bringing things that are innovative into the school system. I鈥檓 an educator and that鈥檚 what I want to see for my own kids and all kids. 

As I think about them, I think about so many immigrant families who have been here for a long time who have not seen these kinds of opportunities for themselves and their kids. 

Morosi: Yeah. I love that quote that 鈥楨ducation is not preparation for life, education is life itself.鈥� That really speaks to the intentionality in our model and that鈥檚 our political perspective. This model of education is going to prepare the students to be the types of leaders that we need.

That鈥檚 John Dewey, right? 

Morosi: Yeah. 

Tell me about the partnerships you mentioned. How are you collaborating with community organizations? 

Morosi: We want to have these very tight relationships with local organizations that can support our families. For example, we鈥檒l be able to connect families with health or legal services, whatever they need. We want partnerships that help us connect with and build on the strengths that are already in our communities. 

So what’s the 10-year dream? It鈥檚 2032 and we’re talking again. How are you describing how the school鈥檚 going? What鈥檚 it doing?

Morosi: So exciting! We will have been at scale for three years by then, so I hope that we’re making an impact on our city by then. We believe that Aventura students are going to be sought after by Nashville鈥檚 secondary schools. They’re going to bring intellectual curiosity and a demonstrated record of engaging, impactful, multilingual community projects. 

Aguilar: Well, my 3-year-old is gonna be a 13-year-old by then, and I’m just looking forward to seeing all the opportunities available for her. Hopefully, there will be a bilingual high school by then that I can send her to! 

As far as our students 鈥� I just feel like they鈥檒l have so many years of this amazing opportunity to be around other people who may not look like them 鈥� but they will still be able to communicate with them in two languages. They won鈥檛 have to wait until they grow up for that. Sometimes, for one reason or another, students’ natural curiosity gets dismissed or pushed to the side, but if you give them access to opportunities to grow, they can step up to the plate. So my hope is that people will look at our program and say, ‘What are they doing at that school? We want that too.鈥�

Morosi: Right. Our students will have the knowledge that their ideas are important, that they make an impact. And that will serve as an inspiration, not only for our community, but for surrounding communities, to have this more respectful, integrated approach to educating children. 

We think a lot about wellness in our organizational culture, for our students, our staff and our families. We believe that the academic measures that are traditionally valued will naturally result when you have a really supportive community that also has high expectations.

鈥淚’ve seen this across systems, not just Aspire, where we have these great educators in our schools, who just need support in accessing credential programs,鈥� said Aspire Charter Schools senior special education director Lisa Freccero. 鈥淭hey’re invested in our schools; they want to work with our kids; they want to work in special education.鈥澛�

reported special education teacher shortages for the 2021-22 school year. With declines growing , states have rolled out cash incentives to retain and recruit more special needs teachers in recent months.

Facing similar vacancies, Aspire is acting fast to scale up their small grow-your-own program. So far, seven educators across their network of 36 California sites have participated. 

Now in its third year, Aspire鈥檚 Education Specialist Intern Sponsorship program creates a pipeline of school volunteers and classroom aides 鈥渁lready in the door,鈥� Freccero said, providing a pathway for uncredentialed staff, predominantly Black and Latino adults 鈥� who also reflect the network鈥檚 15,000 students 鈥� to stay with the school community.

Aspire staff are hired on as first year teachers at a salary of $56-59,000. Through one-on-one coaching with administrators — including feedback from senior teachers on recorded lessons 鈥� specialist interns learn by doing, applying strategies with students in real time, with daily guidance from their senior mentor. 

, Aspire鈥檚 Bay Area and Central Valley schools had persistent staff vacancies in special education. The last year saw specialist vacancies grow in their Los Angeles schools, where the Sponsorship program is now being expanded.  

One East Oakland site is operating with three full-time special education aides, about half of their usual team of five to six. Their Bay Area schools have the highest shortages, currently filled by contractors or substitutes, though all regions have vacancies in every special education role 鈥� from speech pathologists and specialists/teachers to school psychologists. 

鈥淚t’s a high turnover profession鈥� We were trying to solve for that,鈥� Freccero added. 鈥淲hen we talk to them, for the vast majority, [the] barrier was having to either stop their current job or simultaneously figure out a way to pay to go back to school and do a credential program.鈥�

Michelle Ciraulo, a teacher in one of Aspire鈥檚 36 schools in East Oakland, was planning to do just that: save up at least $10,000, while working full-time, to enroll in a credential program. If certified, she鈥檇 have a better chance of staying with her caseload of 10th- and 11th-graders and earn higher wages.

鈥淭he cost was a hindrance. I wanted to become an ed specialist next year, but I would have probably ended up having to do that with an emergency certification, which you can only do for one year,鈥� she said. 鈥淸This] definitely sped up the process.鈥� 

Ciraulo said she is also more in tune with general education teachers who she partners with in an inclusion class. Students with IEPs are assisted in general education classrooms.聽聽

The connection between teachers is necessary, she said, to make stronger lesson plans and better support students. The program enabled her to form deeper connections with students, too.

鈥淚t was really a big incentive for me to just become a specialist but also to stay at this school site and continue to work with my kids and get to know them really well 鈥� and their families,鈥� Ciraulo said.

Colleagues say that the model can also help prevent burnout many career educators experience around their fifth year. After juggling student caseloads, paperwork and learning to teach 鈥� often with little feedback or support networks 鈥� many feel overwhelmed from year one. Aspire鈥檚 model cuts down on learning curves via multiple mentors and gradually-increasing caseloads.

鈥淲here do you think we should go next 鈥� What data do you want? What data do you need? What assessment should you use? 鈥� It takes a while to get that knowledge,鈥� senior special education teacher Suzanne Williams said. 鈥淲hen you already have somebody right there next to you who has that knowledge, it’s beautiful, and it benefits the students the most.鈥�

A parent of students with disabilities who started out as a volunteer in her childrens鈥� schools, Williams added that the first three years are typically the hardest for new teachers she鈥檚 witnessed in Modesto, a small city southeast of San Francisco. Williams said her mentee Stephanie鈥檚 first years were a success because of the Aspire model.

鈥淪he didn’t have to guess 鈥� she had somebody right there to ask. When she was writing her lesson plan, she was actually writing lesson plans that she was using each and every day […] She was all in 100% from the get go. We gave her a light caseload and then she worked her way up,鈥� Williams said.

Stephanie would record general education teachers鈥� classes and her own instruction, and the three educators would pour over them in detail, providing and adapting to feedback. And in built-in 鈥渄ry runs,鈥� Williams roleplayed students as Stephanie practiced lessons. 

The mentorship took out the guesswork that typically comes with being the only, or one few, special education specialists at a site. By the end of the one-year program, Williams said it felt like her mentee had gained  three years of experience.

鈥淪he’s not focusing on all the things she needs to learn and needs to be. She already has that mentor right there, working hand in hand […] The person is going into that situation prepared or feeling confident,鈥� Williams told 社区黑料. 鈥淎 confident teacher brings confidence to the students.鈥�