Andy Perdue: Are charter schools hope or hype?

Perhaps the most polarizing issue in Washington education today is charter schools.

For those who want to open charter schools, the ride the past half-decade alone has been a roller coaster.

Charter schools have been around for 25 years and operate in 43 states, so Washington has been behind the rest of the nation in providing them as an alternative to traditional public schools. Proponents would argue that this has held back better education, while opponents believe charter schools should not be part of the future of public education.

In the United States, there are nearly 7,000 charter schools, and the majority of children in New Orleans now attend a charter school.

In 2012, Washington voters narrowly approved allowing the establishment of charter schools. After the election, the League of Women Voters pushed to have Initiative 1240 overturned, which the state Supreme Court did last fall.

Between the passage of the initiative and the court ruling, nine charter schools opened, and they were left in limbo until last month, when the state Legislature passed a bill to once again make charter schools an option in Washington. Gov. Inslee, who was against charter schools when he campaigned for governor in 2012, allowed the bill to become law without his signature.

Inslee's primary concern is handing over decision-making control of public funds to unelected charter school proponents. He also likes having the endorsement of the state’s teachers union.

Charter schools primarily use public funds — though less per student than public schools — to operate. They are not mired in the rules and regulations of typical public schools. Rather, they are left to teach children — often minorities, underprivileged and those with special needs — in ways they see fit. Most charter school teachers are not union members.

The charter school movement was begun by liberals seeking new ways to teach children without the bureaucracy of a traditional school system. But through the years, it has been embraced by conservatives who would like to privatize education — and do so at a lower cost to taxpayers.

So far, the results of charter schools have been mixed. For every study that shows improved test scores and more focused studies, there is one pointing out the failings of the charter school system. As one can imagine, many of these studies are funded by proponents and opponents of the schools and tend to favor the point of view of their benefactors.

With the passage of the new state charter school law, the Columbia Basin Badger Club will take a deep dive into the issue at our upcoming forum. For this, we are bringing in two speakers with great knowledge of both sides of the charter school dilemma.

They are:

▪ Matthew Polk is a teacher at Pasco High School, where he leads the mariachi and classical guitar program. His work has been featured in various publications, and he is a frequent consultant and lecturer about academically and culturally relevant music education. He advocates for equitable educational opportunities and was given the 2015 Human and Civil Rights Award from the Washington Education Association.

▪ Katie Christianson lives in Walla Walla, where she is an educator, business owner and activist. She is the founder of Safe Travels Alliance, a Walla Walla collaboration between the city, the school district and other agencies to improve safety for children walking to and from school. She is the founder of Willow School, a charter school set to open in August 2017.

This should prove to be an enlightening, provocative and civil debate that will help our community better understand the pros and cons of charter schools as they undoubtedly become part of our community's educational landscape.

This story was originally published May 14, 2016 at 12:15 PM with the headline "Andy Perdue: Are charter schools hope or hype?."