Re: “Charter schools show promise; there should be more of them” [June 24, Opinion]:
The editorial on the promise of charters and the need to reopen the window for new charters is an essential action for the 2024 Legislature. Two events support this: The proposed closing of 20 schools in Seattle, which will not come close to closing the district’s budget gap, and the candidacy of Chris Reykdal for another term as chief of the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction despite the Mississippi-level scores our students achieved on his watch.
Washington charter schools show enormous promise in culture, climate, achievement and personalization. Parents vote with their children’s feet, and the 1,200 students on charter waiting lists will only grow over the summer as parents become more concerned.
We need all the good schools we can get, and I believe Washington Education Association teachers will eventually open themselves to supporting the public-charter school option, because its expansion offers them jobs in collaborative, calm and achieving schools. Teachers want the best for their students.
Let’s support what works for students and their parents through equitable funding, an open window and state leadership that truly treats all district and charter public schools equally.
MAK Mitchell, Seattle