The House is scheduled to pass legislation this week that would allow federal grants to be used for the expansion of successful charter school programs.
And while that may sound like a typical Republican bill that dies in the Senate, this legislation has support from the top Democrat on the Education Committee, which means it has a shot of moving ahead.
Education Secretary Arne Duncan overseas federal education programs, including a federal charter school program that the House is looking to revamp and extend. (AP Photo/Michael Sisak, File)
The political fight over charter schools often pits pro-charter Republicans against pro-teachers union Democrats. But members from both parties have agreed on the charter school bill, and it should pass the House by the end of the week.
The legislation is the Success and Opportunity through Quality Charter Schools Act, sponsored by House Education & the Workforce Committee Chairman John Kline (R-Minn.) and ranking committee member George Miller (D-Calif.).
The bill reauthorizes the federal charter school program through 2020, and authorizes up to $300 million per year in charter school grants.
The big change made by the bill is in how those grants can be used. Under current law, the money can be used by states to set up new charter schools.
But the bill would allow some of that money to be used to help expand successful charter schools that already exist.
"By advancing proposals to encourage the growth of high-performing charter schools and help school leaders access more useful education research, we have taken an important step forward in the fight to improve K-12 education in America," Kline said in April when his committee approved the bill.
Miller, the top Democrat, agreed that funds should be used to further boost high-performing charter schools.
"H.R. 10 course corrects federal investments to ensure quality, accountability, and equity," he said. When the bill was introduced in early April, Miller agreed that charter schools play an "integral part" in the public education system.
“In many ways, these innovative schools have been teaching us what is possible when it comes to educating kids — and the work of charter schools helps break down many of the stereotypes that often plague kids who happen to be from the wrong zip code," he said.
