CHICAGO – Yesterday, the Washington State House of Representatives passed SB 6194, a bipartisan bill allowing public charter schools to continue operating in the state. In response, Greg Richmond, president and CEO of the National Association of Charter School Authorizers (NACSA) issued the following statement:

“We are delighted that Washington legislators have passed bipartisan legislation reestablishing the state’s charter school law and reopening quality public school options for families. By doing so, legislators have not only respected the will of Washington voters, but have come together in order to put the best interests of children first.

“The revised law rightly restores the State Charter School Commission, a quality authorizer whose high standards helped get the state’s eight existing charter schools off to a strong start. The Commission will continue to play a critical role ensuring only the schools most likely to succeed are allowed to open and holding charter schools accountable to students and the public for performance.

“This is a remarkable achievement for students and something many said could not be done. We applaud the hard work and determination of the parents, school leaders, education advocates and policymakers who wouldn’t give up, driven by a belief that we need to open new doors for the children whose current options haven’t been getting the results we need for our children.

“As the state legislature finalizes the bill, we call on Governor Jay Inslee to sign it into law as soon as possible, bringing Washington back into the fold of 42 other states and Washington D.C. that provide students and families with quality public educational options.”

ABOUT NACSA

The National Association of Charter School Authorizers (NACSA) is an independent voice for effective charter school policy and thoughtful charter authorizing practices that lead to more great public schools. Our research, policy, and consultation work advances excellence and accountability in the charter school sector. With authorizers and other partners, we have built the gold standard for charter school authorizing. Through smart charter school growth, these authorizers will give hundreds of thousands of children an opportunity for a better education each year. More at www.qualitycharters.org.