Kitzmiller Charter School Initiative Inc

04/18/2015

From the Baltimore Sun: "Mr. Hogan managed single handedly to put charter schools onto the General Assembly's agenda, and it should not come as a surprise that it would take him more time to build public and political support for his proposals. We hope he will use this year's legislation as a building block for more reform in the years ahead."

Gov. Larry Hogan 's proposal to increase the number of charter schools in Maryland to give parents more choices about the education of their children suffered a major blow in the General Assembly session just ended. His proposal wasn't perfect, but it represented a much larger step forward than the…

04/10/2015

“This is a victory for the union and local school boards, but not one for parents and the students,” Neumark said.

Leaders of Frederick charter schools are split on a new version of legislation to expand charter school authority.

04/04/2015

"Here's the problem. As it stands now, charters do not have the legal and contractual protection needed to bring the promise of innovation to systems. ... We need legislation that works to protect — contractually — the autonomy required to create innovative and successful schools."

Maryland law states that the purpose of charter schools is to bring innovation to the public school system. The premise of the law is that groups of dedicated and talented folks can come together to manifest a unique vision or model for a school. It acknowledges the difficulty or, at least, the lack…

04/04/2015

The watered-down bill does not change the approval process. As amended, the bill provides additional flexibility to provide an alternative to rules regarding scheduling, curriculum and professional development, but only if the charter school is five years or older, in good financial shape, and has demonstrated an above-average student achievement record.

The Senate gave preliminary approval Friday to the governor's charter school bill but the measure dramatically changes what the governor had in mind.

04/01/2015

Senators struck out key provisions of Hogan’s bill, but a spokeswoman for governor still calls it an improvement.

03/28/2015

From the Washington Post Editorial Board: "The public education systems in much of Maryland are among the best in the country, so it is not surprising that lawmakers are wary of making changes. What legislators need to realize, however, is that public charter schools not only offer new possibilities to students but also can function as a useful complement to traditional schools."

Lawmakers in Maryland shouldn’t be so shortsighted.

03/18/2015

Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller on Tuesday urged fellow senators to make "a good faith effort" to pass some version of the governor's bill to expand charter schools - especially if they wanted more money for public schools.

03/03/2015

From our friends in West Virginia.

In Detroit, GM Ken Holland thought it was important to provide his young Red Wings a nudge by adding two experienced veterans. As for the Toro…

03/03/2015

We need your help! It’s time to tell Congress that parents need choices to make the best decisions for their children. Take two minutes today to ask your member of Congress to support the Charter Schools Program to help grow the number of high-quality public school options available to families.

Take two minutes today to remind your member of Congress that they represent a charter school supporter!

02/27/2015

A dozen years after Maryland passed one of the strictest charter school laws in the country, charter advocates are calling for changes to make starting and operating a charter school in Maryland easier.

A dozen years after Maryland passed one of the strictest charter school laws in the country, charter advocates are calling for changes to make starting and

02/25/2015

The Washington Post's view: "Mr. Hogan has fashioned a sensible plan to free charters from unnecessary bureaucracy while still leaving in place a strong system of oversight to ensure quality and accountability. The General Assembly should follow his lead."

Mr. Hogan’s proposal would improve Maryland’s unnecessarily restrictive law.

02/20/2015

Hogan made the visit to Empowerment Academy, one of the oldest and highest-achieving public charters in the state, with U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan, Lt. Gov. Boyd Rutherford (R) and Del. Antonio L. Hayes (D-Baltimore), a member of the school’s board of trustees, by his side.

Among proposed changes: a funding structure for charters and the removal of teacher certification requirements.