The governor's stealthy new cap

This short article in the Raleigh News & Observer, a reliably anti-charter publication, shows that the editors are at least aware now of the scheme by the Governor's office (and thus, by extension, the State Board of Education) to prevent any new charter schools from being authorized until 2013. 

Charter School Backers are Wary of Perdue

http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/08/14/1411366/charter-schools-backers-are-wary.html

A few years back the state board adopted a policy requiring that once an application for a charter is approved, the applicant group must then spend a year in planning before being allowed to open its school.  It's a good policy.  But it appears that Perdue wants to use this policy to delay the opening of any new charter schools for at least two years. 

There was quite a bit of competition for the last charter available under the old cap of 100 schools.  Charter Guy has been told that there are a number of excellent applications in the Office of Charter Schools that have already been thoroughly reviewed, and had there been more charters available under the cap some of these would surely have been approved.  So, now that there is no cap, why not revisit and approve them now? 

Because that would start the one-year planning clock running, in time for the schools to open their doors in the fall of 2012.  And that is exactly what Perdue and her minions on the board want to avoid. 

Senator Richard Stevens, sponsor of the bill that removed the cap, has said that he'll be watching the board's actions (see August 10th, "Got my eye on you, man!").  Charter advocates should be watching him, and holding him to his pledge.