How many charter school authorizers should Indiana have [Jan. 13]? What is the right number? The answer is there should be no limits.
Having no limits doesn’t mean there shouldn’t be parameters to authorizing. In fact, state law was improved in 2013 to require authorizers to follow certain standards to open, close and/or renew schools. Enforce the law; don’t restrict the number of authorizers.
Indiana benefits from new authorizers who think differently and push the envelope. For example, some authorizers prefer to support proven models while others will support new innovative models. Some prefer locally developed models while others import national models. Indiana needs all of these models and more.
Indiana’s charter school movement is founded on the principle of choice and accountability. We need choice in authorizers and schools, as well as authorizer and school accountability.
More authorizers won’t dilute the quality of charter schools in Indiana if the authorizers themselves are held accountable, too.
Kevin Teasley, founder
GEO Foundation
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