Charter schools can be a positive addition to the public school system, but their explosive growth has revealed shortcomings in the way the state has managed them. Going forward, they should receive more consistent, thorough oversight than they've had in the past.
A charter-school law just passed provides more money to the state Charter School Board to pay for three additional staff members. And, it makes the ongoing state funding per pupil more equitable with regular public schools.
Those are positive steps. Charter schools should share in the unprecedented bounty bestowed on education in this legislative session. But the bill allocating more funds for charter schools doesn't directly answer all the questions raised by auditors who were asked by the Legislature last year to analyze the schools' financial health, state oversight and long-range future.
The Office of the Legislative Auditor General in January discouraged the approval of more schools until its recommendations could be put in place. Auditors said, among other things, that the charter board needs more direction on reasons for approving a new charter school, not just a list of reasons an application could be denied. The report warned that too many charter schools are ignoring financial reporting rules and some fail to submit required progress reports. Those changes will take time.
Members of the state charter board say they already have made significant changes to raise the bar for new charter schools. And it's obvious that legislators want the schools to remain viable, evidenced by the funding boost and another new law that will allow school organizers to obtain low-rate financing through the state.
Still, in its headlong rush to give parents more education options, we hope the Legislature doesn't let slide this year's attempt to strengthen oversight. In order to ensure success for charter schools, legislators will have to continue to demand better management, regular reviews and thorough evaluations. Anything less would shortchange Utah's children.
