Constitutional amendment; charter schools (submitting to qualified voters). (HB3)

Introduced By

Del. Rob Bell (R-Charlottesville) with support from co-patron Del. Charles Poindexter (R-Glade Hill)

Progress

Introduced
Passed Committee
Passed House
Passed Senate
Signed by Governor
Became Law

Description

Constitutional amendment (voter referendum); charter schools. Provides for a referendum at the November 8, 2016, election to approve or reject an amendment to grant the Board of Education the authority to establish charter schools within the school divisions of the Commonwealth, subject to any criteria or conditions that the General Assembly may prescribe. Read the Bill »

Outcome

Bill Has Failed

History

DateAction
11/16/2015Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/13/16 16100596D
11/16/2015Committee
11/16/2015Committee
11/16/2015Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/13/16 16100596D
11/16/2015Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections
01/14/2016Assigned to sub: Subcommittee Constitutional Amendments
01/15/2016Impact statement from DPB (HB3)
01/29/2016Reported from Privileges and Elections (10-Y 9-N) (see vote tally)
02/01/2016Read first time
02/02/2016Passed by until Monday, February 8, 2016
02/08/2016Passed by until Friday, February 12, 2016
02/12/2016Read second time and engrossed
02/15/2016Read third time and passed House (50-Y 48-N)
02/15/2016VOTE: PASSAGE (50-Y 48-N) (see vote tally)
02/16/2016Constitutional reading dispensed
02/16/2016Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections
02/23/2016Failed to report (defeated) in Privileges and Elections (5-Y 7-N 1-A) (see vote tally)

Video

This bill was discussed on the floor of the General Assembly. Below is all of the video that we have of that discussion, 1 clip in all, totaling 5 minutes.

Transcript

This is a transcript of the video clips in which this bill is discussed.



Del. David Bulova (D-Fairfax): THEN, ACKNOWLEDGE CRITICAL ROLE OF THE PARENT AND THEN TALK ABOUT THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE LOCAL COMMUNITY AND WHEN IT COMES TO MAKING CHOICES, THE COMMUNITY AND VIRGINIA AND MOST CASES ARE REPRESENTED BY PEOPLE CHOSEN BY THEM TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS. ANYONE COMING OUT OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN THIS BODY NOW THESE ARE COMPLEX ISSUES WITH LONG-TERM IMPLICATIONS NOT ONLY FOR IMMEDIATE COSTS BUT LONG TERM OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE AS WELL. UNDER THIS BILL, AN APPOINTED BODY, HERE IN RICHMOND, WITH THE POWER TO IMPOSE THOSE FUNDED MANDATES ON OUR LOCALITIES. MR. SPEAKER, I KNOW EVERY PERSON IN THIS ROOM CARES ABOUT PUBLIC EDUCATION AND OUR STUDENTS. BUT AS GENTLEMAN FROM FAIRFAX ARGUED, HOW DOES IT SERVE OUR STUDENTS BEST INTEREST IF AN UNELECTED BODY MAKES A DECISION TO REQUIRE ONE OF OUR SCHOOL SYSTEMS TO DIVERT PRECIOUS SCHOOL SYSTEMS? AND THE GENTLEMAN FROM PARTIALLY DEALT WITH THAT ISSUE, IT'S A PRO SECTION THAT CAN GO AWAY AS IT WAS ENACTED ON FRIDAY. MR. SPEAKER, VIRGINIA MAY NOT HAVE A LARGE NUMBER OF CHARTER SCHOOLS, WE HAVE 23 STEM ACADEMIES. THIS IS NOT A CHARTER SCHOOL, IT'S A MAGNET SCHOOL. IT WAS DESIGNED WITH THOUGHT TO WORK WITHIN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM. MY OLDEST SON GRADUATED FROM ROBINSON SECONDARY. NOT A CHARTER SCHOOL BUT A SPECIALIZED PROGRAM OF STUDIES AVAILABLE TO EVERY STUDENT IN FAIRFAX COUNTY. IN CLOSING WE HAVE NINE CHARTER SCHOOLS NOT BECAUSE THE SCHOOL SYSTEMS FAILED BUT BECAUSE MANY HAVE WORKED HARD TO PROVIDE A DIVERSE SET OF CHOICES. MR. SPEAKER, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF THE HOUSE, INSTEAD OF CHANGING THE CONSTITUTION LET'S PROVIDE OUR LOCAL SCHOOL BOARDS WITH RESOURCES, SCHOOLS, AND FUNDED FOR ALL CHILDREN TO SUCCEED.

[Unknown]: THANK YOU MR. SPEAKER. JUST SO EVERYBODY KNOWS WHAT IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN. THIS BILL PUTS THE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT LANGUAGE TOGETHER FOR THE BALLOT. AND HE STARTED THIS IS NOT A QUESTION OF WE CAN HAVE AN INTERESTING DISCUSSION ABOUT WHY CURRENT LAWS DON'T RESULT IN SESSIONS. WE STILL DON'T HAVE CHARTERS IN VIRGINIA. IF YOU DON'T LIKE THEM, THAT IS GREAT. IT'S BETTER THAN GREAT BECAUSE YOU WE HAVE A LAW SAYING WE HAVE THE LAW TO GET THEM BUT ONLY TWO STARTED THEM. ONLY TWO. IF YOU THINK WE SHOULD PROVIDE THIS OPTION THIS IS A PUBLIC SCHOOL, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A LOTTERY. IF THAT WOULD PROVIDE AN OPTION, WE HAVE TO CHANGE THE CONSTITUTION. SHALL THE BILL PASS? CLERK WILL CLOSE THE ROLL. AYE, 50, NO, 48. BILL IS PASSED.

Duplicate Bills

The following bills are identical to this one: SB588.

Comments

CarolynW writes:

Here are SOME OF THE differences between Public Schools and Charter Schools:

CHARTER SCHOOLS ARE:
....NOT REQUIRED TO PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION FOR STUDENTS
....NOT REQUIRED TO PROVIDE BREAKFAST OR LUNCH FOR STUDENTS
....ARE REQUIRED TO SERVE STUDENTS FROM OTHER COUNTIES
....ALLOWED TO STRAY FROM THE TRADITIONAL 180 DAY SCHOOL CALENDAR
....ALLOWED TO HAVE NON-CERTIFIED TEACHERS
....ALLOWED TO EMPLOY TEACHERS ON SHORT TERM CONTRACTS.

PLEASE go to the web and google these articles (North Texas charter schools more likely to perform poorly, group's rankings find, The Dallas Morning News. They have 658 charter schools.) and this one Editorial, Jan. 9: Charter schools and accountability, Star News on line)read what the State of Texas and the State on North Carolina has to say about Charter Schools. "In North Carolina, The report, prepared by the State Department of Public Instruction, noted that charters tend to be more segregated than traditional public schools, either almost exclusively white or almost exclusively minority. It also found that charters accept a much lower percentage of low-income and disadvantaged students than traditional schools do."
Charter schools get state money to operate, but they aren't bound by many of the laws and regulations that conventional public schools have to abide by." "In Southeastern North Carolina, for example, we've seen that charters run by private, for profit companies have been remarkably secretive about how they spend taxpayer money. It's hard to tell, but it appears that some of them have been paying headmasters and administrators bloated salaries while doling out peanuts to the front line teachers."
"SOME REPUBLICANS, IT SEEMS, DON'T WANT TO HEAR ANYTHING ABOUT CHARTERS-OR ANY INCONVENIENT FACTS"
EMAIL OR CALL YOUR DELEGATE OR SENATOR AND TELL THEM TO VOTE NO ON NAY BILL HAVING TO DO WITH CHARTER SCHOOLS TODAY!!!!!
FOR MORE READING GOOGLE CHARLOTTE ISERBYT https://unmasker4maine.wordpress.com/2014/03/28/charlotte-iserbyts-articles-at-newswithviews-which-deal-directly-with-soviet-communism/

Carolyn Worssam

Richmond Virginia

Victoria Esarey writes:

Before Virginia jumps squarely into the charter school camp, she should see how effective such schools have been compared to public schools with the same demographics. For profit colleges have not exactly distinguished themselves with appropriate attention to the student beyond what can be garnered in tuition. Why would all the for-profit charter schools ultimately be any different in their interests? My taxes as a homeowner contribute to public education. Fine with me if it means an educated population.
For public schools the tension is always between education and other public goods such as police, sanitation, etc. A for profit school will find its tensions between student needs and a bottom line. I want cold numbers supporting charter efficacy over public instruction before I will be comfortable that my tax money is going away from public schools.

Jarica Davis writes:

As a resident of Chesterfield County, and a mother of three children,
I ask you to support PUBLIC schools and our dedicated educators in those public schools by voting "NO" on pushing the agenda of
publicly-funded charter schools.

Privatizing public education does NOT serve students or communities
better than public schools. In fact, research proves that just the opposite is true.
examples:
http://www.dailykos.com/…/-New-report-Charter-schools-great…

http://www.educationjustice.org/…/nlej_iss21_art5_detail_Ch…

https://www.washingtonpost.com/…/the-tyranny-of-top-down-e…/

http://www.advancementproject.org/…/…/congressional-briefing

I have more research to share, if you are interested. Our children are not "customers" on which to make profits. The Department Of Education has investigated many public school closings (in favor of charter schools) as violations of civil rights. Federal Titles are violated when public schools are purposefully defunded and intentionally caused to fail, and closed along racial or socio-economic lines. School "deserts" are created leaving no other option that charter schools. This is
a repugnant practice, and should be disavowed by everyone who truly
values our children!

Please support our public schools. Vote against siphoning tax dollars
from our educational system to fund private corporations, and vote "NO" on HB3.
Thank you.
Jarica Davis
Midlothian, VA

DECLARATION OF POLICY AND STATEMENT OF PURPOSE.

‘‘(a) STATEMENT OF POLICY.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Congress declares it to be the policy

of the United States that a high-quality education for all individuals and a fair and equal opportunity to obtain that education are a societal good, are a moral imperative, and improve the life of every individual, because the quality of our individual lives ultimately depends on the quality of the lives of others.

103rd Congress

Jarica Davis writes:

Wal-Mart is closing hundreds of stores, and now want to get into the charter school business. THINK about that for just a second. The joke used to be that our kids were receiving the "Wal-Mart of education," but it isn't funny, and will be a reality if we don't stand up for PUBLIC schools, right now!

Privatization of public facilities can be horrible for citizens. Some people say that this was the real cause of the Flint Water Crisis, and that Gov. Snyder wanted to break up the Detroit Water utility and privatize it. It was not about saving money. http://motorcitymuckraker.com/.../gov-snyder-lied.../...

Gov. Snyder lied: Flint water switch was not about money, records show
MOTORCITYMUCKRAKER.COM|BY STEVE NEAVLING

VOTE "NO" on HB3.

Jarica Davis writes:

Washington State Supreme Court ruling: charter schools can't receive public funds.

http://www.courts.wa.gov/opinions/pdf/897140.pdf

Jarica Davis writes:

VSBA Newsletter 2016 ISSUE 1

The Virginia General Assembly plans to seek a constitutional amendment to divest local school boards of the sole authority to approve charter schools, vesting authority with a gubernatorial appointed board. The VSBA has created a Change.org petition encouraging Virginia legislators to please vote NO on the charter school constitutional amendment.
 Local school boards are best equipped to assess the needs of their students and the locality.
 Local school boards are responsible for the outcomes of all schools within the school system, including charter schools, so they should be solely responsible for the authorization of any new school.
 Research has shown that charter school outcomes are mixed and depend upon ensuring quality and accountability.
 A rigorous study by the Center for Research on Education Outcomes (CREDO) found “a significant negative impact on student academic growth” for charters in states that allow multiple agencies to authorize these schools. In effect, CREDO said, the presence of multiple authorizers allows charter organizers to “shop” for the most advantageous route to approval.
 CREDO also examined the overall performance of charter schools across multiple subject areas. They found that while some charter schools do better than the traditional public schools that fed them; the majority of schools do the same or worse.
https://www.change.org/p/help-our-schools-keep-local-education -resources-within-local-control

Jarica Davis writes:

Read this example of how disproportionate, and intentionally so, school closures affect students of color, negatively. NOT LEGAL!

http://www.njspotlight.com/stories/14/07/23/newark-civil-rights-probe-mirrors-investigations-in-other-u-s-cities/

VOTE NO on this bill.

Jarica Davis writes:

Fraud, theft, and misspent money.... http://m.richmond.com/news/ap/article_e69e052e-9387-5d25-93a6-a61222f8724a.html?mode=jqm

Jarica Davis writes:

Ohio has way more failing charter schools that previously reported. Jan. 29, 2016

http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2016/02/04/charter-school-federal-grant.html

Richmond's first charter school, Patrick Henry opened in 2010, was denied accredidadtion this year.
Stop the insanity and plug the drain from which our children's futures are disappearing!

Jarica Davis writes:

This explains a LOT:
http://www.alternet.org/education/billionaire-funded-charter-school-juggernaut-hits-roadblock-los-angeles?akid=13979.1070654.DO8n09&rd=1&src=newsletter1050743&t=2

Please read it.

Chandra Smith writes:

Patrick Henry Charter School in Richmond VA was from the beginning a political project. I say this as a board member active at the time of the charter approval. the school was not prepared to provide food, transportation or have a completed curriculum and yet the "weight" of the then Governor helped fund(private donation) and garner public support of the program. I voted no then and will continue to vote no to any Charter School that does not meet the current standards and or exceed them for the Children of the City of Richmond and our nation. The citizens of Richmond and our Nation deserve the opportunity for a free, quality education. That will only happen in Virginia when School Board have full taxing authority and no longer have to drag themselves through the political quagmire of the local funding processes.

Chandra Smith