Charter Schools Gaining Popularity and Support in Connecticut

http://www.record-journal.com/articles/2006/05/05/news/state/state01.txt

School choice is increasingly a demand among families in Connecticut. "There is a growing interest and investment in magnet and charter schools," said Mark Linabury of the state Department of Education. There are waiting lists for the state's 14 charter schools and more than 50 magnet schools. School choice is "a great opportunistic trend in education," said Jack Hasegawa of the state Department of Education’s Bureau of Educational Equity. The state budget passed by the General Assembly last week included money to increase per pupil funding for charter schools. Charter schools will receive $8,000 per student, up from $7,625, beginning next school year. A new state law also will allow some charter schools to enroll up to 85 students per grade. Sen. Thomas Gaffey of the General Assembly's Education Committee said legislators wanted to recognize the achievements of charter schools this session. "It made sense to focus on charter schools."

Source: The Record-Jounal
Date: 05/05/2006