The Mississippi Governor says charter schools have been a positive pathway for students to find the education they need.
Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves is among a group of Republican Governors calling on the U.S. Department of Education to stop changes that impact charter school funding.
On Monday, 18 Republican Governors, including Reeves, sent a letter to Education Secretary Miguel Cardona opposing a new policy within the federal department that would make it more difficult for charter school to obtain federal funding, this according to National Review.
In sharing the news, Governor Reeves took to Twitter to express why he joined in the effort.
“Charter schools have been a positive pathway for students to find the education they need,” Reeves tweeted, adding, “Now, Biden is attempting to unfairly strip funding for these schools. I joined 17 fellow governors in standing against this misguided policy.”
Charter schools have been a positive pathway for students to find the education they need.
Now, Biden is attempting to unfairly strip funding for these schools.
I joined 17 fellow governors in standing against this misguided policy.https://t.co/z9Rh7sOnnc
— Governor Tate Reeves (@tatereeves) April 18, 2022
According to the report from National Review, the Governors are asking the Biden Administration to reconsider its proposed changes.
“The Administration seeks to impose a new standard that will require charters to demonstrate that the relevant school district is ‘over-enrolled,’” the Governors write. “By focusing on the number of seats, rather than the number of ‘high-quality’ seats, the new standard fails to consider that a driving force in a parent’s decision is the desire for their child to attend a school that meets their child’s unique needs.”
In the letter (shown below), the Governors also push back on the Biden Administration’s touted “equity” focus and how the proposed changes would harm that line of thinking, stating:
“With regard to new substantive barriers imposed in this program, we understand the Administration has claimed to prioritize the concept of equity. However, the application of the proposed rule would only exacerbate inequities in our education system by reducing federal support for high-quality choices available to millions of low-income families. For instance, in one of our states alone, 60% of the student population at charter schools is economically disadvantaged, and more than 90% of those students belong to racial and ethnic minority groups. Across the nation, charter schools enroll more students of color and more economically disadvantaged students than their traditional public school counterparts. The requirements imposed in the proposed rule will put the Department in a position to undermine the decision made by millions of families seeking a better opportunity for their child.”
The 18 Governors signing on to the letter include:
- Bill Lee of Tennessee
- Kay Ivey of Alabama
- Mike Dunleavy of Alaska
- Doug Ducey of Arizona
- Asa Hutchinson of Arkansas
- Ron DeSantis of Florida
- Brian Kemp of Georgia
- Eric Holcomb of Indiana
- Kim Reynolds of Iowa
- Larry Hogan of Maryland
- Charlie Baker of Massachusetts
- Tate Reeves of Mississippi
- Mike Parson of Missouri
- Pete Ricketts of Nebraska
- Chris Sununu of New Hampshire
- Mike DeWine of Ohio
- Kevin Stitt of Oklahoma
- Greg Abbott of Texas
You can read the full letter below.
Attachment Joint Governors Comment on Charter School Rule 4.18.2022 by yallpolitics on Scribd
Frank Corder
