CHEYENNE, Wyo. — Gov. Mark Gordon vetoed a charter school bill Thursday, calling it a “wire fix” that could threaten the sustainability of charter schools for years to come. . The governor is a vocal supporter of school choice and has said the law does not treat all charter schools equally.
Senate File 61 – Education Charter Schools Amendment allows charter schools to apply for, receive, and administer federal and state grants as “local educational agencies.” But the bill eliminates the ability of the State Charter Authorization Commission to perform this function before it even has a chance to demonstrate its effectiveness, the governor said. Additionally, the proposed bill could impose significant costs and administrative burdens disproportionately across charter schools, potentially raising constitutional concerns.
“Without a thorough consideration of the consequences and impacts for our state, students, parents, and taxpayers, existing obstacles to charter growth and innovation will be exacerbated while the overall cost of education will be reduced over the long term.” I am concerned that this is at risk of rising to unsustainable levels,” Gordon wrote in his veto letter. “Such a scenario is neither fiscally responsible nor supportive of students and parents who choose charter schools for their education.”
District-chartered charter schools will continue to receive LEA services from their charterers, but state-chartered charter schools will be expected to provide these services without new resources. The Governor concluded by asking the Wyoming Legislature to undertake a comprehensive review of Wyoming's charter school ordinance as an interim item. That way, he wrote, Wyoming's education policy will be fair, just, transparent, and accountable.
Gordon's veto letter is attached and can be viewed here.