Education secretary talks charter schools

New Secretary of Education Gerard Robinson, made an appearance before the House Education Committee this morning, where he fielded questions from lawmakers on prekindergarten programs, charter schools, lengthening the school year and his plans to get out and visit schools throughout the commonwealth.

Robinson mostly held off on specifics, especially when it came to funding, saying he didn’t want to get out in front of Gov. Bob McDonnell’s proposals.

But he did say that he came from a state – Georgia – with universal pre-k, which he thought it was a “great idea.” Expanding pre-k education was a goal of former Gov. Timothy M. Kaine.

He also said he was interested in creating a higher education commission that would work on funding issues, and that he wasn’t sure yet about expanding the school year, but thought that after school programs might allow Virginia to get more bang for its buck because it could tap into national funding and money from corporations.

Lawmakers were particularly interested in questioning Robinson on charter schools. As former president of the Black Alliance for Education Options, Robinson worked to increase access for black students to public school alternatives like charters and private schools. McDonnell has said he wants to see more charter schools in Virginia over the course of his term.

Robinson said his goal for the next four years was to have an “honest dialogue as to how charter schools can advance the public school mission in Virginia.”

He also said he thought local school boards should remain at least partially involved in the chartering process, something Virginia Education Association President Kitty Boitnott called “a little bit of a pleasant surprise.” The association represents Virginia public school teachers.

Robinson doesn’t have specific plans yet to go out and visit Virginia’s schools, but it is a goal, he said.

--Alicia P.Q. Wittmeyer

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