The Texas State Teachers Association last week criticized charter school operators for trying to weaken proposed state rules designed to make them more accountable for how they spend tax dollars. In a hearing at the Texas Education Agency last Friday, a long line of charter operators and supporters complained that the rules, drafted to comply with a new state law, were too restrictive.“Charter operators want to feed at the public trough without any real accountability, and they are trying to do an end run around Senate Bill 2,” said TSTA President Noel Candelaria.
The Legislature agreed to expand the number of charters granted in Texas by enacting Senate Bill 2 last year, but in that same bill, lawmakers also demanded that charter operators be held more accountable for financial practices and academic results.
“Every school that accepts state tax dollars should be subject to strict accountability standards,” Candelaria said.
TSTA is concerned that the proposed rules could be weakened in light of Commissioner Williams’ recent move to get around State Board of Education action that denied the Great Hearts charter chain a second charter to operate in Irving. Williams granted Great Hearts an Irving campus as an “expansion,” even though Great Hearts has not yet opened its initial Texas campus—in San Antonio—and thus has no track record under the Texas accountability system.
TEA will take public comment on the new charter accountability rules through Aug. 18.
