CER Press Release
Washington, D.C.
March 26, 2015
Kara Kerwin, president of The Center for Education Reform, issued the following statement on the Maryland Senate Education Committee’s changes to Governor Larry Hogan’s Public Charter School Expansion and Improvement Act of 2015:
“The Maryland Senate Education Committee yesterday made changes to charter school legislation that if signed into law would set charter school progress backwards.
“Amendments stripping the modest, yet important changes Governor Hogan originally proposed will have no impact in improving the charter school climate in our great state.
“Policies that ensure teacher freedom from collective bargaining, more autonomy for charter school leaders to make decisions about their budget and personnel, equitable funding, and allowing the state board to authorize charters on appeal are critical to charter school success in Maryland.
“There are 12,000 students on charter school wait lists in Maryland. It is my hope that lawmakers will continue to weigh these important changes that will help grow the public charter school environment in Maryland.”