| Coalitions & strong charter groups |
6/7/04 12:07 PM |
| Author:
Joe Nathan
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Jim, I agree that there is a need for a strong charter association, along with coalitions. Minnesota has 88 charter schools - a bit fewer than you do in North Carolina. However, the schools in Minnesota use a bit of their money to employ a lobbyist. This person works closely with a variety of other groups.
California - with many more charters - also has a lobbyist.
Schools ultimately have to make decisions about how to spend their money. I'd say that one good use of a small % of dollars from each charter is to help fund someone who can represent kids at charter schools.
But as I said earlier, that person will be far more effective if she/he and the charter movement work with other groups that are active at the legislature.
The # of kids attending charters in most states is below 10% of the overall state k-12 population. By ourselves, we will not, in the next 5 years, have more power or influence than district schools. Hence the need for a lobbyist - as you suggest - and coalitions with other influential groups.
Joe
Posted as a reply to:
coalitions vs. "permanent" state-level lobbying by Jim Diana
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