At 1:38 am this morning, the Rhode Island House of Representatives passed a budget article that restored funding for new charter schools as its last order of business for the night. After a heated debate, the measure to restore $1.5 million in funding for two new charter schools passed on a 47-26 vote. (Click here for a tally of the votes)
Majority Leader Gordon Fox deserves much of the credit for speaking passionately in favor of this on the House floor, and for leading efforts within the House Leadership to restore funding initially cut by the House Finance Committee. However, the struggle highlights the need for Rhode Island education reformers to remain vigilant.
The issue gained national attention, garnering press coverage for Rhode Island charter schools in hundreds of media outlets across the country after US Secretary of Education Arne Duncan made his position on Rhode Island charter schools “very, very clear.” Those comments generated a front-page story on the charter issue in the Providence Journal, and lead editorials in support of charter schools appearing in the Providence Journal and the Valley Breeze. The stories and editorials echoed statements by the Board of Regents and RIDE through Angus Davis’ remarks on restoring charter funding last Thursday and Chairman Robert Flanders’ op-ed on charters this Tuesday. Excerpts of Secretary Duncan’s speech were played on radio more than a dozen times throughout the week, as talk radio hosts such as WPRO 630’s Dan Yorke and WHJJ 920’s Helen Glover devoted more than 8 hours of non-stop coverage to the debate. The most popular excerpt heard on Rhode Island airwaves was this one, where Secretary Duncan describes the education reform movement as a train that’s leaving the station and urges everyone, everywhere to “get on board.”
Much of the national interest in Rhode Island can be attributed to the work of Nelson Smith at the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools opening Secretary Duncan’s speech to questions, and to Seth Andrew, leader of Democracy Prep, for asking the first question and putting Rhode Island in the national spotlight in front of an audience of more than 3,000 people in Washington, DC on Monday morning:
Across Rhode Island, hundreds of education reformers reached out to their elected officials, joining the calls of mayors representing more than half the state, the House Majority Leader, Governor Carcieri and countless others to stand up for children. National supporters in the effort included the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, The Center for Education Reform, and Democrats for Education Reform, a national PAC.
To local advocates the lessons are clear: nothing is ever off the table if you are willing to fight, and if we work together, and we never give up, we can win, and we will grow the strength of our movement to improve educational outcomes for all Rhode Island children. This is our moment, and the time is now. Welcome aboard, Rhode Island.
Congratulations to you Angus and everyone else involved in getting the funding back in the budget! As a parent and an individual who believes all children should have access to the very best education possible, I am very happy to have common sense prevail here in our wonderful state!