Chance of New Charter School Legislation in WA? (Seattle, Tacoma: middle-class, homes)

[Adrian71]

My wife and I have our first kid on the way, and we're already thinking about education options. Private school is probably out of our reach, homeschooling is an option, and I have to do more research into our local public schools (Renton district).

I just learned that Washington is one of only 10 states without charter-school legislation, and that the last authorization for charter schools was defeated by ballot initiative. (We just moved here last year, so this is all news to me.)

So ... what's the outlook that charter-school legislation will ever get passed again? Has the tide turned since the last ballot initiative?

Please understand that my intention is not to promote one type of schooling over another. I'd just like to maximize our choices when the time comes to send the little one off to school.

Thanks.

[Inkpoe]

Personally I don't think it looks good at all, the Governor already has cut over a billion $ from education and supposedly is looking cut just a little more. So the districts are struggling and would simply use the money for something else. There is a organization (Kids first WA) that's trying to get the Federal assistant/stimulus. You'd have to blame the anti-charter people and teachers union for the defeat... it could still be possible that the Teacher's union be against charters.

[docwatson]

Wow, this is surprising to me (see my related post on school options in Tacoma). I've always been an advocate of having choices, whatever label people choose to attach to this. I know Minnesota was the first in the nation to adopt Charter school legislation, which was well-crafted to maintain equity ... and that was back in the 90s! I thought I remembered reading about some pretty creative charter schools in Seattle in the early 2000s ?

[Adrian71]

Originally Posted by docwatson

Wow, this is surprising to me (see my related post on school options in Tacoma). I've always been an advocate of having choices, whatever label people choose to attach to this. I know Minnesota was the first in the nation to adopt Charter school legislation, which was well-crafted to maintain equity ... and that was back in the 90s! I thought I remembered reading about some pretty creative charter schools in Seattle in the early 2000s ?

Interesting ... I'd be curious to know more about this, too.

I come from Michigan, which has a pretty strong charter program in place. I remember back in the mid-'90s, a group of teachers where I lived was trying to get funding from an area college to start up a charter school. For some reason, that one never got off the ground. But after those early struggles, it seems that the idea finally took off in the state.

Inkpoe, it wouldn't surprise me terribly if the teachers' unions are one of the primary opponents. I'll keep any further commentary on that topic to myself , but I've read and heard about some great successes with charter schools (though acknowledging that some probably do much better than others, as with all things in life), and I do think it's a shame that kids in Washington don't at least have the option available to them.

[Inkpoe]

Originally Posted by docwatson

I thought I remembered reading about some pretty creative charter schools in Seattle in the early 2000s ?

Seattle still have alternative schools, some of which competition for admittance is very trying. But the focus always been more on the programs, rather than the schools. Seattle Public schools district also closed some of the schools because it wasn't "cost-effective".

[Ira500]

Originally Posted by gnab gib

My wife and I have our first kid on the way, and we're already thinking about education options. Private school is probably out of our reach, homeschooling is an option, and I have to do more research into our local public schools (Renton district).

I just learned that Washington is one of only 10 states without charter-school legislation, and that the last authorization for charter schools was defeated by ballot initiative. (We just moved here last year, so this is all news to me.)

So ... what's the outlook that charter-school legislation will ever get passed again? Has the tide turned since the last ballot initiative?

Please understand that my intention is not to promote one type of schooling over another. I'd just like to maximize our choices when the time comes to send the little one off to school.

Thanks.

I'd say the odds are less than 50/50 that we'll see charter schools anytime in the near future in this state. But the voters here do surprising things. Bill Gates is a big proponent of charter schools and he tends to get what he wants. It was on the ballot here twice, in 1996 and 2004. It got much closer in 2004.
Didn't you mention at one point that the local elementary school in your 'hood was supposed to be a good one?

[Adrian71]

Originally Posted by Ira500

Didn't you mention at one point that the local elementary school in your 'hood was supposed to be a good one?

We never did a lot research on the schools, because at the time we were still undecided about starting a family. I think we were more interested in just finding a "good" school district, not really taking the time to delve into what that meant, since a kid was just an abstract idea for us back then.

We're local to Cascade Elementary and Lindbergh High ... and I do think that someone mentioned Lindbergh was a decent school. But I don't remember anything about Cascade. Fortunately, we have time to do our research.

If Bill Gates is pro-charter, I'll pin my hopes on his willingness to join the fight.

[Inkpoe]

Originally Posted by Ira500

I'd say the odds are less than 50/50 that we'll see charter schools anytime in the near future in this state. But the voters here do surprising things. Bill Gates is a big proponent of charter schools and he tends to get what he wants. It was on the ballot here twice, in 1996 and 2004. It got much closer in 2004.

Actually it was on ballot and lost in '96 and '00. However, 2004 Wa legislature passed it into law... which then had to be overturned by the public. Bill Gates was one of the main donors (for charter schools support) then.

http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/Washington_Charter_School_Authorization,_Referendu m_55_(2004 (broken link))

[StealthRabbit]

Don't ever count on Charter Schools in WA while there is a very strong and political teachers union. AND a totally whacked State Supreme Court that will gladly overturn ANY voter initiative that gets strong voter support and may deplete BIG EXPENSIVE Gov programs. (hence why my property taxes went from $800 > $12,000 / yr).

If you are serious about educating your kids, you should take a job in Singapore or similar foriegn country that has wonderful public schools AND cultural exchange. Your kids will HAVE / WANT to learn several languages + get FREE scholarships to USA Ivy League schools, and then have GREAT international careers! (this happened to international families I know and worked with) Free swimming lessons as they will be pro by age 5. Mandatory Piano / music accomplishment to graduate from 5th grade... And of course this is done in classes of ~ 50 kids which the teacher has 2 of per day (7am - noon, and another 1PM till 6PM). Thus 1/2 the teachers, school buildings NO SCHOOL BUSES, as kids use mass transit, as they do around the world. There are many countries with good edu, AND in those countries the people REALLY LIKE and care for the KIDS (not so in USA). Our family would not trade our years of international living for the best private school in WA, There is SO MUCH more to edu than traditional school. We would have rather lived as paupers in a foreign country (Which you won't on even a few yrs USA savings) than have to use USA public schools.)

Lack of EDU options is primary of many reasons that WA was very early into the HomeSchool Movement, which is still very strong in WA. Many of the early adopters / educators in the Homeschool movement were public school teachers seeking a better EDU for their kids. (My whole family homeschooled, and my sis and several HS friends remained Public teachers as well. Our family (including our HS kids) volunteered every week in public schools (they need all the help they can get, excluding my tax $$ which are used very poorly). Upon returning home for a volunteer day, my youngest kid exclaimed; "Gosh, if those kids would pay attention and do their work without messing around so much they could be done with those simple teachings. and be home by noon everyday." and... "Why do the teachers have to yell so much? Do they hate the students?"

Granted there are some excellent teachers (like my whole family (history) and herds of others), but... I'm glad you are looking into this BEFORE your kids graduate from High School not knowing 8th grade math. Get to looking overseas for a job!! It is very fun for all (except the 'worker' bee). I was always glad that we only were expected to work a half day on Saturday (only 12 hrs instead of 24). BUT when you get some time off, the destinations and travel is another GREAT experience for the kids. Ours exchanged money and did all the daily grocery shopping in several countries in Asia and Europe (BEFORE the Euro was invented). We ate some interesting meals

BTW, I am a BIG fan of WA Running Start Program (which many public school teachers dislike, and some districts make it VERY hard on parents and students to attend Running Start). But my kids are even MORE pleased, since they paid 100% of their way through college. 2 yrs free is a good deal, + the EDU was great, since it was not 'age-segregated' as in Public Schools.

[docwatson]

All worrying trends ... we don't have kids now but if by the time comes we don't have charter options ... or at least good public options - I guess I will look into the public options and see if there are good programs offered. We could afford to send one child to Waldorf but not two. And I hate that we need to maintain the idea that you buy a home for the school it feeds into, but I guess this works for the upper-middle-class so why change things?!

Hope WA takes the lead of 40 other states. Until we admit that choice is a good thing ... public schools should strive to be good enough that parents, given free choice, would choose them!