| Policy based on clearly stated principal. |
6/7/04 7:45 AM |
Author:
Dan Quisenberry
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Are charter supporters in your state taking advantage of opportunities to inform legislative leaders, policy makers, influential media and potential political allies about the "basics" of charter schools?
Do the charter school supporters in your state have clear objectives and goals for what they want legislators and policy makers to know about charters and are there clear goals for what you want them to do?
Effective strategies will inform all legislators of the "basics" of charters, what they are and what they mean to public education. Successful strategies should be based on policy principals and goals. In Michigan we base our legislative agenda on the following principals:
First, less regulation, not more regulation will improve quality. Michigan can not and has not improved the quality of its public schools by regulating them. Charter schools are public schools and are regulated as such currently. We do not see expansion of regulation as a means of improving student achievement in these new public schools.
Second, Accountability of schools is based on student performance and parent demand. Michigan's charter schools are created on a foundation of unprecedented academic accountability, with parent choice and student achievement as cornerstones.
Third, Parental choice in public schools should be expanded. Federal law requires education choice for parents trapped in chronically underperforming public schools, Michigan children currently do not have real choices available to them. We believe every child matters and every student deserves a multitude of quality public education options.
Posted as a reply to:
Influencing Policy by Bob Montgomery 
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