Contact:
Lisa Macfarlane | 206.369.2171 | lisa@dfer.org
Devin Boyle | 202.445.0416 | devin@dfer.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 23rd, 2013 – Democrats for Education Reform Washington (DFER-WA) released the following statement today:
“Today’s news that both the Washington State Charter School Commission and the Spokane School District have posted their respective public charter school application materials is great news for Washington’s children and families,” says Lisa Macfarlane, Washington State Director for Democrats for Education Reform.
Washington’s charter school law, ranked the third strongest in the country, emphasizes quality. Macfarlane notes, “This will be a competitive process. The bar was set high because we want to open great schools for at risk kids who need more public school options.”
Charter schools are a type of public school, and like all public schools, they do not charge tuition, they are open to all children, and they are publicly funded. In exchange for greater accountability for showing improved student achievement, teachers and principals in public charter schools are given more flexibility to customize their teaching methods and curriculum.
About Democrats for Education Reform
Democrats for Education Reform (DFER) is a political action committee with 13 state offices whose mission is to encourage a more productive dialogue within the Democratic Party on the need to fundamentally reform American public education. DFER operates at all levels of government to educate elected officials and support reform-minded candidates for public office.
###
(For more information, read this AP article by Donna Gordon Blankinship)