Charter Schools in Virginia

Law:   Passed in 1998

Rank:   Fourth weakest of the nation's 40 charter laws

CER Grade:   D

Schools:   8

Students:   1,440

POLITICS:

SHOW ME THE MONEY: The reason there are only eight charter schools in Virginia became ever more clear when we learned that school districts are charging applicants anywhere from $500 (Chesterfield School District) to $2000 (Fairfax County) just to even consider their applications. It is interesting that these boards think that they should charge potential public schools an application fee to do what the law requires -- review charter applications. CER Newswire October 21, 2002
BOARD STIFF: Virginia received a solid D in CER's 2001 Charter Law Rankings, and was rated the third weakest law in the land. The state has only five operating charter schools, four of which are alternative programs and one of which is a a vocational school. Local boards are allowed to vote on whether or not to even accept applications, a definite deterrent to all but those already with their feet firmly planted in the education system. The state's school boards association gives its law high marks because it gives local school boards total authority for the fate of charter schools. From CER's State-By-State Charter Law Ranking Report, October 2001.
BOARD GAMES: Fairfax County, VA, proves again the dictum that where school boards retain the sole authority to grant the charter, they don’t charter very much. The board voted to NOT accept charter school applications, leaving 162,000 children with no educational options other than those already dictated by the school district. CER Monthly Letter, November 2000.

DEVELOPMENTS:

GIVE ME STRENGTH: Even though there exists increasing demand in Virginia for charter schools, the state has no charter schools in operation [now one -- as of Fall 2000], and only three charter schools are in the starting blocks. Why so few? The state's weak charter school law is the culprit – the statute calls for chartering approval from only local school boards and offers no appeal option in the event of school board rejections. In the words of Frank Riggs, Alexandria resident and former California congressman, "It takes a far-sighted school board member – one willing to defy the education monopoly – to be willing to set up a center of competition within the local school system. Strong-minded reformers should have the help of strong charter laws." CER Newswire July 25, 2000