Expand charters in Massachusetts

Massachusetts has established itself as a national leader in school reform. Its citizens, business community and political leaders have mustered the will to put students first, and have held firm when special interests and others have demanded retreat. Rhode Island, by contrast, has repeatedly backed down, with predictably dismal results.

As successful as it has been, though, Massachusetts is refusing to rest on its laurels. Recognizing that poor and minority students have not fared as well as others in standard public schools, Gov. Charlie Baker and other education leaders are pushing a ballot question Tuesday to expand access to charter schools for these pupils.

We urge our Massachusetts readers to vote yes on Massachusetts Question 2.

The question would permit the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education to authorize the creation of up to 12 new charter schools per year, or the expansion of existing charters. The state’s lowest performing school districts would be given priority for charter slots. These are the districts — including Fall River, Boston, Holyoke, Chelsea, Lawrence and Lowell — where students already face enrollment caps and the demand by parents is significant.

The approach is well thought-out. The state’s rigorous approval process for charters would be maintained, with annual performance reviews under state standards. The charters — public schools that are permitted to be more innovative than traditional schools — would be required to serve all students, including English language learners and those with special needs.

The idea is not to affect budgets in suburban districts with excellent schools, but to aid students in poorly performing districts, who have been trapped in schools that are not helping them achieve the education they will need to fully participate in the American Dream.

Massachusetts charters have done a good job reaching poor and minority students. A 2015 study by Stanford University’s CREDO Institute found that students in the state’s urban charter schools performed significantly better in math and reading than similar students in traditional schools. That is why more than 32,000 students are on waiting lists trying to get into charter schools — 12,000 in Boston alone.

We have long argued that public education is the civil rights challenge of our time. Massachusetts (along with Rhode Island) has one of the nation’s worst achievement gaps between white pupils and low-income African-American and Latino students. We must not be content to sit back and wait while these students fail to make the most of their potential in life.

The essential credo of America is found in the Declaration of Independence, which expresses the belief that “all men are created equal” in terms of their basic rights. The greatness of this country will always rest on our ability to create a society in which anyone, no matter how poor, has a fair chance to succeed through his or her talent and hard work. It is absolutely essential that we do not permit prejudice and demographics to present insurmountable obstacles to success for large numbers of our young people.

Needless to say, all of us benefit when growing numbers of citizens have the ability to contribute their ideas and hard work to society.

Education has always been the path to achievement. Economic interests invested in status quo have spent millions of dollars in a bid to defeat Question 2. We hope voters look beyond the scare tactics. Massachusetts should strive to use proven, creative means to help all students succeed. Charter schools are an important part of the mix.