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Published: Monday, 15 June 2015 21:06

A message from Frank Flynn, RIFTHP President:

This week the Senate Education Committee and House HEW Committee passed bills related to charter schools. These bills S0087 Sub A and H5160 Sub A are critically important to the future of traditional public schools. As you are aware the continued expansion of charter schools has had a detrimental impact on our school budgets; in some cases forcing districts to eliminate programs, cut staff, and reduce opportunities for students. The continued expansion of charters, particularly Mayoral Academies, will create parallel school districts resulting in a costly and unnecessary duplication of programs and services.

Senate Bill S0087 Sub A would freeze the local share of charter spending at the FY2015 level and require local approval of any new charter or expansion of an existing school for one year. We are working to make the local approval process permanent.  House Bill H 5160 Sub A would require local council and school committee approval for the creation of a new charter or expansion of an existing charter of each sending district.  In addition, the bill creates a one year hiatus on any application for new charters.

The pro charter movement has been actively campaigning to defeat these bills. We need to mobilize our members to reach out to their local Reps and Senators and ask them to support us by supporting these bills. Many of you are currently dealing with the severe budgetary impact charters have had on your districts others have been threatened by their expansion into your district. We must do all we can to stop the expansion of these publically funded private schools.

Please forward the following link:    Support Local Approval of Charter Schools

Ask your members to reach out to their Senators and Representatives. This is an extremely important and time sensitive issue. We expect that these bills will be heard early next week. Please forward to your members as soon as possible. Thank you for your assistance.