Reps. Wilcox and Condotta on charter schools: ‘We have an obligation’

March 4, 2016

Efforts to fund charter schools continue to be rebuffed in  Olympia. And the issue has become increasingly partisan, as lawmakers on one side of the aisle appear to be stonewalling a charter fix.  Ruth Johnson reports from Olympia.

Ruth Johnson: What will happen to charter schools isn’t yet clear.  And the clock is ticking.

Wilcox: “These are twelve hundred students in places where they don’t have any other good choices.  And those are the that we have the greatest obligation to.

Johnson:  Republican Representative J.T. Wilcox.  In many ways, his hands are tied.  House Republicans, early in the session, offered legislation that would have salvaged charter schools.

But the committee chair refused to move the bill.

They subsequently offered several bills and amendments which were declined by the majority party.  In a last ditch effort, they attempted to revise the House budget to keep the charter commission running.

Condotta: “Every single democrat voted against it. That was shocking.”

Johnson: Republican Representative Cary Condotta.  One final hope for charter schools is contained in the Senate budget.  However, the final outcome of that plan remains in negotiators hands, with just one week left in the 2016 legislative session.

 Ruth Johnson, Olympia.