KY LEGISLATURE

Emotions high as charter schools bill rolls toward passage in Kentucky

Tom Loftus, and Kirsten Clark
The Courier-Journal

FRANKFORT, Ky. - After more than six hours of emotional and heated debate, the charter schools bill passed the Kentucky House late Friday.

The 56-39 vote sends the measure — a Republican priority — to the Kentucky Senate, which is expected to pass it, making Kentucky the 44th state to allow charter schools.

The floor vote — and an earlier vote in committee on Friday morning — were largely along party lines as the majority Republicans argued parents need the option of charters to do what's best for their kids and Democrats said charters will drain public schools that are already poorly funded.

Kentucky Education Association president Stephanie Winkler, right, gets a hug from former KEA president and retired school teacher Joyce Dotson after the Charter schools bill 520 passed out of the House Education committee on Friday morning. "It's a very emotional day for me as a public school teacher," Winkler said. "I don't feel like a parallel system is going to do anything to close achievement gaps." The bill passed with several changes from what was originally filed. March 3, 2017

The sponsor of House Bill 520, Rep. John Carney, R-Campbellsville, unveiled a slightly revised version of the bill at a special meeting of the House Education Committee Friday morning, where a combative Gov. Matt Bevin took the unusual step of testifying for it.

"The argument that this is somehow a threat to our public education system is a lie. That is not correct. It is a scare tactic. It is meant to preserve the status quo," Bevin said. "I'm personally disgusted by the fact that the people who oppose this so adamantly continue at every turn ... to be passionate about what? About power. About money. About the transfer of dollars."

Rep. Mary Lou Marzian, a Louisville Democrat on the committee who opposes the bill, dished it right back at Bevin.

"I am disgusted with people who do not support our hard-working teachers in this state," Marzian said.

Marzian said she was concerned that private financial interests could benefit from charter schools. She asked Bevin "if he or any of his friends have financial interests in charter schools."

Bevin said, "The answer is no. ... We're interested in what's best for the students of Kentucky."

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Marzian persisted. "Words are very cheap, but if we could see tax returns," she said, a reference to the fact that Bevin, unlike his recent predecessors as governor, has declined to release his income tax returns.

Charter schools are publicly funded schools that are run by private groups and are often freed from some of the requirements placed on public schools, such as having a nontraditional school calendar.

The measure approved Friday is a departure from previous charter school bills in that it places no limits on where or how many charter schools can open. The bill gives authorizing power to mayors in Louisville and Lexington and local school boards across the state. Authorizers are charged with vetting the applications of parties who seek to open charter schools and deciding which will open. After those schools open, the authorizers would then be responsible for ensuring the schools are operating under agreed-upon conditions.

Previous coverage

► Kentucky looks north for charter school inspiration

► What are charter schools? Education reporters explain

► Former teacher blasts charter schools

Carney also explained that the changes he made to the bill include removal of language allowing for virtual charter schools.

This amended version of the bill passed the committee on a 12-8 vote, with all yes votes coming from Republicans. However, one Republican, Rep. Jill York, R-Grayson, joined seven Democrats in voting no.

The bill, put on a fast track by House Republican leaders, immediately moved to the full House, where the debate raged on for more than four hours, with Republicans citing statistics showing how Kentucky public schools are failing and Democrats countering with statistics showing they are succeeding. Some members brought themselves to tears in telling their own public school experiences that caused them to be for or against charter schools.

Kentucky Education Association president Stephanie Winkler, right, gets a hug from former KEA president and retired school teacher Joyce Dotson after the Charter schools bill 520 passed out of the House Education committee on Friday morning. "It's a very emotional day for me as a public school teacher," Winkler said. "I don't feel like a parallel system is going to do anything to close achievement gaps." The bill passed with several changes from what was originally filed. March 3, 2017

Proponents argued that charter schools can be free to address specific needs of at-risk students.

Rep. Phil Moffett, R-Louisville, said the simple reason charters are needed is to help bring Kentucky students up to grade level in math and reading. "What difference does it make if you have a high school diploma if you can't read and do math at grade level?" he asked.

But opponents said charters will damage public schools already short on resources. Rep. Will Coursey, D-Symsonia, said the bill "is going to suck the life blood out of our public schools."

Tom Loftus can be reached at 502-875-5136. Kirsten Clark can be reached at 502-582-4144.

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