Public Charter School Network's Power Upheld by California Judge

http://origin.insidebayarea.com/ci_9362489

A county judge in California has upheld a decision by the state board of education to grant a statewide charter to Aspire Public Schools, allowing the network to open new campuses without seeking approval from local district officials. The California School Board Association's Education Legal Alliance had sued the state board last fall, claiming the board had overstepped its authority in January 2007 by approving Aspire Public Schools' petition to create "statewide benefit" public charter schools. Education Legal Alliance director Richard Hamilton expressed disappointment at the ruling and warned it will be appealed. He said it "will open the door and encourage charters to bypass local school districts and county offices of education in an attempt to avoid local oversight." Aspire co-founder and CEO Don Shalvey said he is "certainly pleased" by the ruling "because it just means that much more opportunity for the kids that we serve: predominately first-generation college-goers" from the state's lower-performing school districts. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger praised the decision, saying it will "allow for many more charter schools in California, especially for students in high-risk areas of our state that could benefit greatly from access to new avenues of learning."

Source: Inside Bay Area
Date: 05/23/2008