Video: Charter Schools Big Topic In Legislative Session

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COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI)- As the new year begins, the debate over whether or not to pass charter school legislation heats up. Republican State Representative Gary Chism says charter schools offer a quality education to students who would otherwise be trapped in failing school districts.

“This is the #1 priority this legislative session. If the school districts right now are failing, or at risk of failing, those parents and those students need to have a choice. I think that charter schools offer the best chance for them to be able to be a success,” says Chism.

Chism tells WCBI money will follow the student to whatever charter school they decide to attend.

“If you choose to do a charter school, the money follow the child. So Oktibbeha county is already short of money and if they created a charter school and some of the students went to it, then it would leave Oktibbeha county with less and less money to operate. But, I think it will improve the educational opportunity for all the kids to have a charter school,” says Chism.

Legislators are heading back to Jackson next week to discuss the charter schools issue. With public schools already strapped for funds, democrats say it’s a bad idea.

Democratic State Representative Esther Harrison served on the education committee for several years and says charter schools will pull resources away from public school districts.

“We’ve been trying to work and make sure the public schools are up to par and are funded like they should be, which they are not. Every year, while I was on the committee, they kept changing. They didn’t give the policies that they implemented time to work. So now, they’re changing something else again,” says Harrison.

A partisan split is clear in the debate over education, but lawmakers will have to cross the aisle to reach a compromise.

“Education has always been a top priority, but they keep changing the playing field every year,” says Harrison.

“Republicans, we’re for competition, we’re for choice. And charter schools gives you both!” says Chism.

The three month legislative session begins January 8th.

Officials say hearings on charter schools should begin soon after that.

 

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