More charter schools first

Reduce need for new public schools by taking cap off charter schools

From Col. Francis De Luca, N.C. state director of Americans for Prosperity:

As North Carolina gets ready to open the 2007-08 General Assembly, lawmakers will consider many proposals to raise money for public school construction. These include higher taxes and a statewide school construction bond which The Observer's editorial board has endorsed.

Americans for Prosperity-North Carolina is the state chapter of the nation's premier grassroots organization committed to advancing every individual's right to economic freedom and opportunity. AFP-NC believes reducing the size and scope of government is the best safeguard to ensuring individual productivity and prosperity for all Americans. The Americans for Prosperity network in North Carolina consists of tens of thousands of members. Our members recognize that adding school capacity is a pressing need.

Our membership has taken no position on a possible statewide school construction bond because we do not yet know the details. But our membership has taken a strong and important position on public charter schools. The grassroots membership of Americans for Prosperity will vigorously oppose and campaign against a statewide school construction bond if the cap on public charter schools is not removed.

Our membership will also oppose any efforts to increase public debt and possibly raise taxes for school construction unless lawmakers also remove the 100-school cap on the number of public charter schools. Public charter schools cost taxpayers nothing to build and less to operate than standard public schools. Public charter schools are a proven method of educating children that give parents more control over the education of their children.

Public charter schools are growing in popularity and acceptance across the country. A study released last October by The Center for Education Reform found that the number of public charter schools grew by over 13 percent in 2005, accounting for 3,625 total schools nationwide serving nearly 1.1 million students in 41 states. A poll conducted by the same organization found that once Americans understand the function of charter schools, more than 80 percent favor them.

In North Carolina almost 30,000 students attend existing public charter schools. If the artificial legislative cap was eliminated, this number would grow significantly. Parents would have more control and choice over their children's education and taxpayers would save hundreds of millions of dollars in school construction costs.

Despite this widespread support, the General Assembly has refused to raise or remove the 100-charter cap. We believe it is wrong for the legislature to ask taxpayers, who already pay county property taxes to build schools, to assume more public debt without first lifting the public charter school cap.

Will more public charter schools solve all our state's school construction issue problems? No. Will it help? Yes, significantly. In addition it provides all parents more choice in public schools.

The General Assembly has a chance to lead on the issue of public charter schools. Lift the cap on public charter schools first, then put a school construction bond on the ballot.