Comments about ‘House committee passes $3M charter school bill’

The public needs a lot more information on charter schools. How are the test scores? How many close their doors after a few years and receiving start up money? How many kids are in and out and back to public schools in a matter of months. How much are we really spending per child in charter schools vs. public schools? How many legislators own buildings that the state is renting for these charter schools?

Charter schools are bigger government. It takes money away from schools when we have to finance more school buildings, administrators and upkeep.

Mick,

Sorry but that is exactly the information that Parents for Choice and their surrogates at the Utah State Legislature do not want you to have. They will provide you with the "good news" as they see fit, the questions you ask may reflect negatively on the charter school movement and that information is not for public consumption

Every year there is a charter school annual report that is submitted to the legislature by the USOE and is public information. Utah Foundation did a charter school analysis in 2003 and a report in 2005. The test scores are easily available on the State Office of Education's website. I believe Charters would welcome more reports and information publicized about them. We are doing amazing things that we'd love the public to be made aware of.

If you are highly concerned about who owns the buildings, this bill is an answer to that - by making available the credit enhancement, charter schools will be able to more easily finance buildings through bonds priced more closely to the traditional public school rates.

This is a great piece of legislation that represents a win-win for charter schools and taxpayers.

Charters are local government at its best - parents given the opportunity to find the school that best meets the needs of their child as opposed to being forced into the "one size fits all" public school in their neighborhood that may or may not serve their student well. Because of charter schools, parents have the liberty to vote with their feet and do their job - ensure their child gets the education they need.

Why is it that many of those opposed to charter schools are first in line to register their own children in them? They have acknowledged that it is hypocritical but they seem to feel their children will get a better education in them.

if they are so good why are not all are schools charter. profit, profit. when money is made always watch out in this state.

@Mick,

The Public has all the information about Charter schools available along with those of all public schools at the USOE website. I'll answer them briefly.

The test scores vary from school to school. Some are much higher than neighboring schools. Some are lower. Many are the same. Parents who are interested in a given school are responsible enough to look up the information on their own.

To the best of my knowledge two Charters have been closed since the 70s when Charters were first authorized in Utah. The one closed last year, Beehive Academy, had excellent academics, happy parents and had turned around their finances. The other one closed was before the current law allowed the State to authorized Charters and I only know of its prior existence.

The number of kids leaving Charters is roughly equal to the number leaving the districts going into them. When a family moves, the seats made available go to students on wait lists that number in the hundreds to thousands. A Charter school has a much higher stability rate than a traditional school.

A student educated at a Charter costs the state LESS than one educated in a District. I don't have current numbers on that one since the gap has gradually been increasing. It used to be $700 less per pupil three years ago.

It doesn't matter WHO owns the buildings IF this bill passes because the building will be owned by the State. As it stands I doubt any legislators own school buildings. I think the liberals in the state would have let us know by now if any did, don't you?