A bill that would allow for-profit companies to run charter schools in Tennessee was defeated in committee this past week. From the Tennessean:
The bill was quashed on a 10-7 vote by the House Calendar & Rules Committee, a panel that ordinarily simply schedules floor votes on bills without debate. House Education Committee Chairman Harry Brooks, R-Knoxville, was visibly angry about the move, slamming a microphone down after noting that private operators were as likely to be non-profits as for-profit companies.
This represents a great move by our state legislators as research suggests that for-profit charters, notably the Edison Schools, have a terrible track record nation wide. Here’s to hoping for more sane and rational education policy in the coming weeks as vouchers and common core legislation come up for debate.
Categories: Charter School Accountability, Charter School Expansion
This IS great news, and it happened because people have been calling their legislators. Make no mistake – the legislators would not do this of their own volition.
Let’s keep it up! Keep calling, until education in our state looks how WE want it to look!
http://www.legislature.state.tn.us/senate/committees/education.html
http://www.legislature.state.tn.us/house/committees/education.html