Washington can provide a variety of public schools that address diverse student needs | Opinion

We continue to hear people calling for the expansion of charter schools in Washington state. This shows a lack of knowledge about school law and organization in our state.

Public school districts here operate schools that would be called charter schools in many other states. They are innovative, specialized, funded and governed by locally elected school boards. State law allows for virtually any kind of school that is approved by a local school board or group of school boards.

What we need is strong, imaginative leadership from school leaders, community leaders and parents to address student needs — be it in science, arts, dropout prevention, or other areas. We don’t need to go outside the public school district and establish charter schools that aren’t accountable to the taxpayers funding them.

Skills centers — 14 regional public schools shared by multiple school districts statewide — provide quality career and technical education for about 7,000 students in the state. Students can graduate from high school with career training and move to a job or post-secondary education. These would be called public charter schools in many other states.

In our community, North Thurston Public Schools operate what it calls Choice Schools. Aspire Performing Arts Academy is a middle school that emphasizes performing arts. Envision Career Academy, an alternative high school, focuses on sciences and career and technical education. Ignite Family Academy is a family partnership school supporting home-schooled families. The Summit Virtual Academy provides K-12 students 100% online teaching by North Thurston teachers.

For several years, the district also operated New Century High School, a night school designed for working students and young parents. Unfortunately, it never achieved the enrollment numbers needed to remain open.

The North Thurston School Board, administrators, staff and families saw the need for these programs and established them.

Olympia School District has the Olympia Regional Learning Academy that includes a K-6 Montessori school, while hConnect provides assistance and classes for home-schooled students, a flexible schedule and experimental learning activities. Avanti is a small high school rated as one of the state’s top 10 alternative high schools.

Sen. Hunt taught in one of the state’s early alternative high schools in Pasco. Operation Motivation targeted dropouts and potential dropouts. It was established by a superintendent and school board that saw a better way to address students’ needs. Its successor has expanded into a multi-district school that successfully carries on today.

Spokane Public Schools has created several charter schools governed by the school board and district. Former Rep. Dolan worked in the Spokane Public Schools from 1973-2004, where she collaborated with parents and administrators to establish many alternative education programs parents brought forward. These programs have a history of successful student achievement and accountable budgetary oversight.

Passing a law to expand charter schools simply reduces critical public oversight of our public education system and sends state funding to schools that are not truly accountable to the communities they serve. What we need are school boards, administrators, and families willing to lead and develop special schools and programs that meet individual students’ needs. We know all students don’t learn the same; it is our responsibility to lead and provide those opportunities in public schools, where families and voters ask for accountability on the spending of their tax dollars.

School board members and superintendents, joined by active school district residents, can make a difference. We see this leadership in our local districts. That’s what public schools are about. Get involved — you can make a real difference in the types of schools that address students’ needs. Together, we can make our public schools better for all students.

Sam Hunt is the retiring senator for Olympia’s 22nd Legislative District and has been a member of the Senate Early Learning and K-12 Education Committee. Laurie Dolan is a retired teacher and administrator from Spokane who served as a state representative for Olympia’s 22nd District from 2017 to 2023.

This story was originally published August 25, 2024 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Washington can provide a variety of public schools that address diverse student needs | Opinion."