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For Immediate Release
March 28, 2011
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Charter School Reform Bill Unveiled by Education Committee Chairmen
Improving Accountability & Transparency, Encouraging
Expansion
HARRISBURG – In an effort to continue providing additional educational
opportunities for families while maintaining a level of necessary
accountability, Majority Chairman of the Senate Education Committee Jeffrey
Piccola (R-15) and Minority Chairman Andrew Dinniman (D-19) introduced today
legislation to overhaul Pennsylvania's current laws governing charter and cyber
charter schools.
Senator Anthony Williams, President Pro Tempore Joseph Scarnati, Majority
Leader Dominic Pileggi, Senator Mike Folmer, Senator Richard Alloway, Senator
Ted Erickson, Majority Appropriations Chair Jake Corman, Senator Don White,
Senator Bob Robbins, Senator John Eichelberger, Senator Mike Stack, Senator
Mike Waugh, Senator Stewart Greenleaf, and Senator John Rafferty all joined as
co-sponsors to the bill.
Senate Bill 904 would incorporate a number of long-overdue reforms to
facilitate the creation and continued operation of Pennsylvania's charter and
cyber charter schools yet also provide proper accountability measures, according
to Piccola and Dinniman.
"Our bipartisan legislation is the working product of two public hearings
before the Senate Education Committee and several years of collaborative efforts
between lawmakers and various groups, and I'm pleased to see that this issue
also has the support of Governor Corbett. No doubt, it strikes the ideal
balance: expanding opportunities for parents and their children but also putting
more checks in place to ensure that our charter schools properly serve
Pennsylvania students for years to come," said Piccola.
"The ultimate objective of this bill is to help school choice reach its full
potential here in Pennsylvania," Dinniman said. "It is always my goal to create
school policy that combines education excellence and taxpayer accountability,
and Senate Bill 904 does just that."
The legislation would create a statewide commission, independent from the
Pennsylvania Department of Education, to be charged with oversight of charter
and cyber charter school functions, such as the ability to serve as a depository
of best practices. The commission would also serve as an independent authorizer
of charter schools. Additionally, an advisory committee would be created to
review and make recommendations to the Legislature regarding the thorny issues
involving the funding of charters.
Senate Bill 904 would also allow institutions of higher education to approve
the creation of a charter school, and an intermediate unit or local board of
school directors would be allowed to create or convert an existing public school
into a charter school. Moreover, the bill would modify the application and
appeals procedures for the state's charter schools by streamlining
administrative processes by which these schools are formed, evaluated, and
renewed.
Under this comprehensive legislation, greater checks and balances would be
established on the Commonwealth's charter schools. Some of these provisions
include mandating additional oversight and accountability on administrators and
board members by requiring employees to adhere to the state's Ethics Act and
establishing clear prohibitions against any conflicts of interest.
Members in the House of Representatives have unveiled similar legislation
sponsored by Representatives Thomas Killion (R-168), Tony Payton, Jr. (D-179),
and Jim Marshall (R-14).
The Senate Education Committee will be holding a public hearing on Senate
Bill 904 on April 13.
CONTACT:
Colleen Greer (Piccola's Office), 717-787-6801
Adam Cirucci (Dinniman's Office), 610-692-2112
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