Gavin Newsom, Los Angeles (LA) Governor, had announced the existence of a proposed law where local school boards will be given more powers to reject petitions from charter schools.
Charter schools are public institutions that are privately operated. Expressly, they function as nonprofits. Additionally, most of them do not have unions.
As a result, power battles are expected to intensify as the LA’s Board of Education seats will become lucrative. Notably, election struggles between teachers union allies and charter advocates are expected to be more costly.
LA school board power struggles
The proposed regulation will give school boards more decision-making roles.
Additionally, charter school teachers will be expected to have similar credentials as their counterparts in traditional schools. This move is aimed at propelling accountability found in charters.
LA has previously recorded the most expensive school board elections. This has been instigated by the competition battles between the well-known teachers union and the considerably funded charter school groups.
For instance, in 2017, a whopping seventeen million dollars ($17M) was spent in three (3) board races.
The law is, therefore, expected to intensify the elections, and this will soar spending.
Notably, nearly twenty percent (20%) of public school learners in LA are enrolled in two hundred and twenty-four (224) charters. These figures are higher than any other school structure in the United States.
Presently, the board is considerably divided on various matters affecting charters. Proponents of charter schools favor them because of the beneficial competition instigated among learners.
Additionally, they have a wide range of schooling options, whereby students are offered high-quality education.
On the other hand, opponents assert that charters usually undermine district-run institutions as they rob them funding and motivated families.
Conversely, hints of inequality have swept NYC schools.
