Charting new course for charter schools

The education policies released so far by Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob McDonnell suggest he's eager to address long-simmering problems in the educational system without vilifying schools for failing to heal themselves. He's put scrupulous thought into his proposals, and they deserve a fair hearing from Virginians of all political persuasions.

McDonnell's plan to loosen restrictions on new charter schools is a good example of his pragmatic approach.

Virginia is one of 40 states that permit the creation of public charter schools, which are granted independence from some government regulations. But the commonwealth ranks last among those states in charter school enrollment per capita, with only 240 students in four schools last year. A fifth school is scheduled to open in Richmond in 2010. In comparison, 97 charter schools operated in North Carolina during the most recent academic year.

Virginia law requires that new charter schools be approved by local school boards, many of which are resistant to competition. McDonnell would give charter school organizers the right to appeal rejections to the state Board of Education. Charter schools proposed for divisions where one or more schools are not fully accredited could apply directly to the state.

McDonnell is not seeking a reckless expansion in charter schools. Careful quality controls and standardized testing would be maintained, and decisions would still lie with public education experts.

Charter schools across the nation range from mediocre to awe-inspiring. Notable among the latter is New York City's Promise Academy, which has erased the achievement gap in math between its black students and the city average for white students by requiring youngsters performing below grade level to spend twice as much time in school as their peers.

Charter schools can be valuable laboratories for experimentation with new learning techniques. What they should never become is an excuse to walk away from existing schools that are failing to educate their students. "I understand that charter schools are not a silver bullet; they are not a cure-all," McDonnell acknowledged.

He has a sincere desire to fix failing schools, but his strategy for achieving that goal isn't yet well-defined. He promises to designate one official within the Department of Education to oversee the 72 schools in Virginia that are not fully accredited. The department already has an office and staff dedicated to the task, and McDonnell's plan offers no additional authority or resources to help those schools succeed.

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Creigh Deeds is quick to note that his opponent failed to support new taxes needed in 2004 to stabilize state funding for public schools. That's a legitimate criticism, and one that McDonnell will have to answer for during this year's campaign.

But Deeds must be more proactive on charter schools if he wants Virginia to be well-positioned to receive federal support in the future. U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan has warned that states resistant to charter schools will be at a disadvantage when competing for federal education grants.

There are legal barriers that must be addressed. Virginia's constitution gives control over schools to localities. How, then, could state officials force a charter school on an unwelcoming city or county? Charter school advocates have proposed creation of a statewide charter school district, but its legality is still being studied.

McDonnell may not have all the answers, but at least he's scouting for creative solutions. State leaders in both parties should follow his example.