Charter Cap Leaves N.C. Communities in the Cold

February 5, 2010 | Posted in

In the ongoing debate over North Carolina’s arbitrary cap on charter schools, one argument is heard time and again: “North Carolina has never reached the cap of 100, so why should it be raised?”

There are two problems with that argument. First, North Carolina has not reached 100 public charter schools due to the bureaucratic lengthiness of the charter application process and the ease with which the State Board of Education can revoke a charter. The application process takes two years, but it only takes one quick Board meeting to shut down a school based on arbitrary, inconsistent standards. Combine that with the fact that new charters only can be granted if old charters are terminated, and it is almost impossible for North Carolina to reach 100.

However, 2010 is proving to be different. Communities around the state, such as Corolla, Sanford and Bear Grass have been vying for the 100^th charter school spot in the state. And now the cap has really left these communities wanting for more educational options.

The story of Bear Grass High School in Martin County may be the most profound example of the cap's effect. Bear Grass outperforms most schools in our state, boasting higher end-of-grade test scores for economically disadvantaged, African-American, and female students than the North Carolina average.

Due to budgetary constraints, however, the school system decided to close Bear Grass High after the current school year. In response, members of the Bear Grass community banded together to convert the school into a public charter school. Sadly, their request was denied solely because of North Carolina’s charter cap.

The rejection of Bear Grass' charter clearly illustrates North Carolina's competitive disadvantage for Race to the Top funds. The education establishment can deny this disadvantage and trump up supposed "innovation" all day long, making their pleas for more federal dollars. Schools like Bear Grass, unfortunately, tell the real story.

Comments

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on February 5, 2010 - 2:23pm.

Do legislators and school board members actually believe the school cap is the best option for our children? Successful schools should never have to close their doors because of arbitrary limitations like the charter cap. So many state funds are funneled into failing public schools attempting to combat the problems with flat initiatives. However, successful schools are being denied charters because of petty political games. This should be a prime example of why this cap should be lifted immediately come May and why the plan in this state needs serious reevaluation.