In response to:
Other Facts People Should Also Know:
1. Just because we don't have collective bargaining here does not mean that PAGE and GAE don't lobby the legislature and keep the status quo. They are very powerful ... like other "unions."
2. Yes, it is. Charters come up for renewal every 5 years. We have had charter schools (my own included) who have not been funded properly and who have not been given unused facilities or other services provided by law. Several of the charters who have started pushing on their rights have been both implicitly and explicitly threatened about renewal. Without an appeal process (that cannot be legally challenged) all charters are at the mercy of districts.
Among the many education-related ballot proposals this election is Amendment 1 in Georgia. The proposed constitutional amendment would reauthorize an independent board to approve charter schools. Currently, school districts are able to regulate charters, thereby limiting their competition.
EAGnews.org reported on some of the dirty tactics being employed by the education establishment:
In some areas, school employees are reportedly using taxpayer funds and work time to campaign against Amendment 1, possibly violating state law.
“I had a lady come to me … who substitute teaches who said when she walked in to teach the GAE was serving donuts and telling...
4. They currently have the ability, but that is in question because: 1) the Supreme Court said the local districts have EXCLUSIVE control and 2) They said charters aren't "special" schools, which is all the state can authorize. The charters appealing to the state will not change, so they would still not meet the definition of "special" school. Plus, Sally Fitzgerald of PTA confirmed a suit is pending, which would either close the schools down OR reduce their funding to $3500 per pupil and they'd be unsustainable.
5. See #2 AND the growtih of the charter sector will certainly, with unchecked power given to districts, stop.
Put kids first, not systems.