Editorials

Public charter schools in Texas tend to get a bad rap, the Texas Public Policy Foundation's Brooke Dollins Terry says.

"If public charter schools are really so bad, then why are tens of thousands of Texas students standing in line for admission?" she asks. "The state of Texas, which prides itself on everything being bigger and better, does not have enough room for every student who wants to attend the public school of their choice. Last year, at least 16,810 Texas students were on a waiting list to attend a public charter school. Imagine the entire Pearland school district on a waiting list."

Houston's regional waiting list had 7,415 students hoping to get into a charter school last year. The Dallas/Fort Worth region had 5,896 students on a waiting list, while the Rio Grande Valley had 2,110 students on a waiting list.

These facts clearly demonstrate that the public wants more options.

"Most Americans are unfamiliar with charter schools," Ms. Terry says. "In fact, only 20 percent of Americans can correctly identify a charter school as a public school, according to a Center for Education Reform national poll. But charter schools, while subject to less government regulation, are public schools funded with public funds. Charter schools cannot charge tuition, teach religion, discriminate, or cherry-pick students."

Charter schools specialize in hard-to-serve students, enrolling a higher percentage of minority and low-income students than traditional schools.

"In Texas, 81 percent of students in charter schools are minorities, compared to 60 percent in traditional public schools," Ms. Terry notes.

Tens of thousands of students drop out of Texas public schools each year. Yet state policy still discourages new charter schools.

"Some education associations, policymakers, and reporters fixate on a few poorly run and mismanaged charter schools as a reason to cap enrollment or limit student choice," Ms. Terry says. "Abuse of public funds is unacceptable -- whether by a public charter school or a public school district -- and the Texas Education Agency should always investigate and pursue such misconduct wherever it occurs. But depriving thousands of students more educational opportunities because of a few bad actors makes no sense."

Charter schools pose no threat to other public schools.

"Texas charter school enrollment is a drop in the bucket compared to traditional public school enrollment with only 2 percent of the more than 4.6 million students in Texas public schools attending a charter school last year," Ms. Terry says. "The last thing that Texas needs to do is stifle competition in the area of public education. Each and every child's education is too important not to allow them the opportunity to attend a public charter school if they choose."

The Legislature must lift the cap that now prevents new public charter schools from opening their doors.

"Ultimately, parents, not government, should decide where their child attends school," Ms. Terry says. "Until that day arrives, Texas has at least 16,810 students waiting for rescue."

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