A new application for would-be charter schools in Arkansas should “streamline” the work of the state panel responsible for overseeing charters, according to a Department of Education official.
The revamping of the charter school application is yet another change required by the LEARNS Act, the massive education overhaul championed by Gov. Sarah Sanders. The law created a school voucher program, raised starting teacher pay, eliminated teacher labor protections and made a host of other changes, including several regarding charters. LEARNS removed a cap on the total number of charter schools statewide and, in some instances, allows charter schools to take over the operations of low-performing public schools.
Now that it is considered reviewed by the Charter Authorizing Panel, the new charter application will go live on April 1. The updated information and application documents can be found here on the opening date.
The application asks more questions about subjects including a proposed school’s finances, transportation, organizational set-up and enrollment plans.
The application is the basis for a new process that will come with more stringent vetting on the front end by education department staff before the applicant goes before the Charter Authorizing Panel. The more intensive process is not meant to usurp the panel’s power, according to Darrell Smith, the assistant commissioner of the education department’s Office of School Choice and Parent Empowerment.
“The panel is the final authority,” he said Tuesday. Smith said the goal is to develop a system that would recognize and reward quality and performance.
“I truly believe that if we do it right, if we focus on the right things, we can get there sooner rather than later,” Smith said. “I think that our goal is to really make sure that all of our schools, all of our charter schools in Arkansas, provide a good and high quality choice.”
The panel will review the charter renewal process at a work session next month, he said.
