Dear Representative:
On behalf of the AFL-CIO, I am writing to urge you to support the Moore (#4) and Wilson (#9) Amendments to H.R. 10, the Success and Opportunity through Quality Charter Schools Act. H.R. 10 provides some necessary reforms to charter school programs across the country but could do more to ensure that these schools are held to the same standards of accountability, equitable access and transparency that traditional public schools must meet. Without limiting the potential of charter schools to innovate, the bill should be improved to make sure that those innovations are transparent and sustainable, and that all our public school students and their schools are treated equitably.
The Moore amendment would require states receiving charter school grants to set aside 2 percent of the grant amount for financial oversight of charters. It would also ensure that charter schools include private and public contributions in their audits.
The Moore amendment would also help ensure that the $300 million provided in the bill is being properly spent and that charters are incubators of innovation, not pockets of corruption. It would further help monitor the influence of private investors by requiring the disclosure of private contributions.
The Wilson/Davis/Duckworth/Grayson/McKinley/Fudge amendment would require that information about each charter school be made available, including disaggregated enrollment and academic performance data. This amendment will better ensure that parents have information on how charter schools are educating students, and will shine a light on enrollment rates of populations that have often been excluded from charter schools. Thank you for considering our views on H.R. 10. We urge you to improve the bill by adopting the Moore and Wilson amendments.
Sincerely,
William Samuel, Director
GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT