January 8

Teachers union balks at push for unlimited charter schools

Gov. LePage plans to introduce legislation this session to lift the current cap of 10 schools in the next 10 years.

By Noel K. Gallagher ngallagher@mainetoday.com
Staff Writer

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The commission will also reconsider the Baxter Academy for Technology and Science in Portland, which has conditional approval.

The Fiddlehead School of Arts and Science in Gray also has conditional approval.

So far, the 10-school limit hasn’t been an issue, said Jim Banks, a Charter School Commission member who is also on the state Board of Education.

Demand could outstrip charter schools’ capacity in the future, he said, but it doesn’t right now. He said he expects the commission to discuss LePage’s proposal Tuesday.

Banks had no comment on whether the cap should be lifted, but said he understands critics’ concern.

“It’s a legitimate position to say they want to see how the charters are doing before removing the cap,” he said.

Connerty-Marin said the LePage administration doesn’t want to wait.

“We are pushing as quickly as possible on all fronts to provide more options for students,” he said, calling the 10-school cap “an entirely arbitrary number.”

If a student isn’t thriving in a public school, “then that kid doesn’t have five years or 10 years to wait to see if something is going to work out for them or not,” Connerty-Marin said. “We don’t want to wait and kids shouldn’t have to wait.”

Staff Writer Noel K. Gallagher can be contacted at 791-6387 or at:
ngallagher@pressherald.com

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