NC Commission Wants To Loosen Charter School Cap

by Gary D. Robertson - December 19th, 2007 - Associated Press (Herald Sun)

A state panel examining North Carolina's charter schools recommended Wednesday that lawmakers loosen the current law that limits the number of these alternative schools to 100.

In a compromise among members, the Blue Ribbon Commission on Charter Schools agreed that the number of charters be increased by up to six annually, with more permitted as existing charter students at those schools perform well on standardized tests.

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The cap also wouldn't apply to a charter school if it's the first built in a county. About half of the counties don't have a charter now.

This is good news for Bertie County. I can't think of anything that would accelerate the ability of our schools to improve the education of our children than any act that increases the competition for excellence the way the best charter schools have done. It gives parents concerned about the education of their children options to make real progress in conjunction with teachers who care. I think that is the real value of charter schools. It allows teachers who care to partner with parents who care to dramatically improve the education we provide to our children.