The Clarion-Ledger Editorial, 2/8/9
Parents whose children are attending schools in failing districts should have the option of sending their children to a “better”school. Right?
A growing number of Mississippians – from Republican Lt. Gov. Phil Bryant to Democratic House Education Committee chairman Rep. Cecil Brown – believe that “better” school could be a charter school.
According to the definition of the National Assessment of Educational Progress, charter schools are publicly funded schools that, in accordance with an enabling state statute, have been granted a charter exempting them from selected state or local rules and regulations.
A charter school may be newly created, or it may previously have been a public or private school; it is typically governed by local stakeholders under a contract or charter with the state. In return for funding and autonomy, the charter school must meet accountability standards.