NC charter school changes approved by Senate panel

By GARY D. ROBERTSON
Associated Press

RALEIGH, NC (AP) — A bill to eliminate North Carolina’s current limit of 100 charter schools has been approved by a Senate committee despite complaints it lacks accountability to ensure opportunity for at-risk students.

A divided Senate Education Committee approved a measure Wednesday that would create a new commission to approve and revoke charters. Three-fourths of the members of the State Board of Education could overturn commission decisions.

The measure leaves in place a requirement that a charter school’s population reasonably reflect an area’s racial and ethnic composition. The committee defeated a Democratic amendment that would have required future charter schools provide transportation and food for students in low-income families.

The bill now heads to the full Senate.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)