Should the State Get Back into the Charter School Business?

An amendment passed in the Georgia General Assembly in March authorized a referendum in the fall that essentially asks voters whether they think the state should get back into the charter school business.

The referendum will ask voters whether the Georgia Constitution should be amended to allow for a state authorizing board on charter schools. A Supreme Court decision last year ruled that decision should be put back into the hands of local boards of education. The outcome of the November referendum could essentially overrule that decision.

The issue has set up a fierce debate. Lines have been drawn with fierce lobbying on sides of the issue. A Media Matters research piece lays out the reasons why the status quo should remain. A storify composite by SouternEdDesk takes a broader look at the issue from both sides.

At the heart of it lies the question: Who should control which, where and why charter schools should open – the state or local boards of education?

Charter school supporters would like the power returned to the state, allowing it to override a local board’s decision to deny a charter school’s right to open. Opponents, however, say it will put the state back into the charter school business and allow it to manipulate funding.

So what do you think? Will you be voting in support of the state amending its constitution to allow for a state authorizing board? Or do you think the Supreme Court decision was the right one and the law should remain as it is?