NEWS ALERT FROM THE PAUL ALLEN FAMILY
RE: WASHINGTON CHARTER SCHOOL INITIATIVE

PAUL G. ALLEN FAMILY TO SUPPORT CHARTER SCHOOL AND CLASS SIZE INITIATIVES

(Seattle, WA, May 24, 2000) Local investor and philanthropist Paul G. Allen, his sister Jody Patton and their family announced today they would provide major financial and organizational support for two public-school initiatives being prepared for the November general-election ballot.

        The Allen family will help finance the signature-gathering effort for Initiative 729, which would allow a limited number of charter public schools in Washington State. If the initiative drive is successful and the measure qualifies for the ballot, the Allen family will help finance the election campaign.

        At the same time, Allen and Patton announced a donation of $200,000 to Initiative 728, which is aimed at reducing class sizes and making other selected educational improvements in the state's public schools.

        Both initiatives must garner about 180,000 valid voter signatures by July 7. "These efforts will ensure that quality public schools continue in this state, with more options for parents and students," said Patton. "Reduced class sizes are one of the keys to a quality education, and charter public schools would give parents one more choice in guiding the education of their children." She described the effort as part of the Allen family's long commitment to public and private education, at all levels.

        Initiative 729 was filed on February 23rd by Jim and Fawn Spady, long-time charter schools advocates. The Spadys said they would remain as advisers to the campaign but do not expect to be involved in the day-to-day operations. Gogerty Stark Marriott, a Seattle public affairs firm, will coordinate the signature drive and campaign until a professional campaign staff can be hired.

        The initiative is similar to other limited charter-school proposals that have circulated in the state legislature and is almost identical to the one proposed by Gov. Gary Locke two years ago. It would allow up to 20 new public charter schools a year for the next four years. The schools would be required to be sponsored by local school districts or state universities, but would operate as non-profit organizations with their own boards of directors.

        The schools would be open to all students and could not have a religious affiliation. They would be subject to all the same safety, health, civil rights and academic-testing standards as other public schools, but they would enjoy more autonomy in setting their curricula, schedule and administration. Their five-year charters would be subject to review and evaluation by the sponsoring school district or university.

        Charter public school laws are successfully in place in 36 states, and have been endorsed by President Clinton, Vice President Al Gore, Presidential Candidate George W. Bush and, Governor Locke. "We see both these initiatives as essential tools to help public schools and the quality of education in our state continue to improve," Patton said.

Contact: Susan Pierson Brown, Vulcan Northwest, 425-453-2140 David Schaefer, Gogerty Stark Marriott, 206-292-3000

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See also: PAUL ALLEN HELPS BANKROLL INITIATIVES, Charter-school, class-size issues get boost, by Rebekah Denn, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, May 25, 2000

For more information about the Washington State charter school initiative, visit the Education Excellence Coalition's website at www.wacharterschools.org.

NB: Paul Allen and CER President Jeanne Allen are not related.

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