Texas Bumps Up Against Public Charter School Cap

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/6126419.html

Last week, Texas handed out eight public school charters raising the total number of public charters to Texas' cap of 215. That action significantly increases pressure on the state to either lift its cap or shut down low performing campuses to make room for more public charters. "There's a growing realization that parents are looking for additional educational opportunity," said David Dunn, executive director of the newly formed Texas Charter Schools Association. "At the very least, we think the 215 needs to be raised." Several successful charters, such as KIPP, have opted to expand in Texas under their pre-existing charters, rather than to seek new charters for each campus. While they can forgo the rigorous application process that way, they also miss out on the $450,000 that new charter holders receive over their first three years. KIPP officials hope that the bipartisan momentum created for charter schools during the recent presidential election spills over to Texas' upcoming legislative session. "With reaching the cap, it actually raises the opportunity to spark that debate again in Texas," KIPP spokesman Steve Mancini said. "We think this will be a big year for charter schools."

Source: Houston Chronicle
Date: 11/21/2008