Columbia, Missouri (KMIZ)
Columbia Board of Education President Suzette Waters sent a letter to Columbia Public Schools officials urging them to speak out against a bill that could bring charter schools to Boone County.
ABC 17 News received the letter via email from a CPS spokesperson. Boone County school superintendents had previously expressed opposition to the bill.
Senate Bill 727 states that the Boone County School District will be added to the list of school districts that can operate charter schools. The bill passed a Missouri House special committee on Tuesday.
According to the Missouri Charter Public Schools Commission, charter schools are free public schools that operate independently of school districts. Families can choose to enroll their children in a charter school, and the school receives per-pupil funding like a regular school district.
“Public school funding is based on enrollment, so if a student leaves CPS and goes to a charter school, they take that money with them as well. Here's the kicker – they only receive state funding. They also receive local funding. The number of students educated remains the same, but the funding allocated is split between two parallel systems. CPS still has the same buildings, fixed costs, and staff. (because not all students attending a charter school are in the same grade or from the same building), but there is less revenue coming in,” Waters wrote. her letter.
“We oppose the diversion of public funds to dual education systems that have not been proven to deliver better outcomes for students and in fact often fail. We oppose investing in this dual system that is not subject to the same evaluation and reporting requirements as the rest of us. If charters have to choose which students to admit and which rules to follow, it is a challenge to level playing field. It is no exaggeration to say that this is not the place.”
