Apr 29, 2009 5:25 pm US/Eastern
Parents Want Public Charter School Cap Removed
BOSTON (WBZ) ―
More than 500 parents gathered at the State House Wednesday, hoping to get a message to Gov. Deval Patrick.
They want the cap on public charter schools lifted in Massachusetts so that more charter schools could open.
Right now, there are 25,000 students enrolled in public charter schools and 23,000 on the waiting list.
State Representative Eugene O'Flaherty has co-sponsored a bill that would lift that cap on school district spending from 9 percent to 20 percent.
O'Flaherty says, "Charter schools are another opportunity for children of working class parents who may not be able to afford it... to send their kids to schools they're comfortable with."
If the bill is passed, more money would go to charter schools and more could open.
Single mother Esther Vargas has a daughter at Kipp Academy in Lynn, a charter school that has 200 kids on the waiting list for 75 spots that are already filled.
"Kipp is the other parent that's missing in my house," Vargas said.
Her oldest daughter graduated from Kipp and earned a scholarship to a private school. Her younger daughter is currently enrolled.
Vargas says, "It changes lives. It changes generations of families. My kids will be the first to go to college."
Kipp School Leader Josh Zoia would like to see Kipp expand to cities like Boston, but says Boston has already reached its charter school spending limit.
"I'd love to see that cap lifted and for every parent to truly have a choice what school their child goes to," Zoia said.
After the morning rally, the parents visiting their state representatives and talked to them about the bill to lip the cap on charter schools.
The bill is currently before the Joint Committee on Education and is awaiting a public hearing.
The American Federation of Teachers is against raising the cap. It issued a statement to WBZ: "Raising the cap would be devastating because of the amount of money that would flow out of regular public schools. The schools would not be able to properly service the public school children."
(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
Click to enlarge
Stumble It!
Comments