Charter schools in Baton Rouge with strong academic performance would get their contracts renewed for longer, five to 10 years, under new but contested rules.
A separate proposal, however, was rejected that would have allowed D-rated charter schools in the Capital City that have shown good progress with their toughest students, the chance to add students and grade levels above what was outlined in their contracts.
The East Baton Rouge Parish School Board on Thursday gave preliminary approval to update its charter school rules. A final vote is scheduled for Oct. 16.
The renewal and expansion proposals prompted lengthy discussion and split votes, amid renewed debate about whether charter schools should be allowed to expand in Baton Rouge.
Board members, however, voted unanimously to approve a series of other changes in the 100-plus page policy.
The proposed updates incorporate several changes in state law enacted since the policy was last updated in 2019, including increased state scrutiny of local charter school applications and the removal of numerical targets for charter schools, so that they reflect the student poverty levels of the districts authorizing them.
Charter schools are public schools run privately via contracts. East Baton Rouge Parish currently has contracts with 13 charter schools, which teach more than 6,000 students, representing approximately 16% of the district’s enrollment. In the past two years, Baton Rouge has closed two low-performing charter schools and replaced the operators of two more.
Tania Nyman, a community activist with two children who’ve graduated from the school system, objected to all items voted on Thursday, saying they all serve to reduce local control of education.
“This is an erosion of actually genuine public schools,” Nyman said.
Board member Mike Gaudet agreed with Nyman’s broad point about the new charter rules.
“The vast majority of this is stuff the state Legislature has taken out of our control,” Gaudet said. “This is moving more and more away from local control of schools.”
Nevertheless, Gaudet said it’s important to adopt the rules of the road.
“Whether you agree or don’t agree, the general public will know what the rules are,” he said.
Charter advocates had sought to get new rules in place prior to the Sept. 8 start of the annual application period for new charter schools. The item was delayed due to concerns from board members. Board members in favor of the proposals tried unsuccessfully on Sept. 18 to force the issue on the agenda.
The application period ends Oct. 20.
Gaudet proved to be the swing vote.
He voted in favor of five to 10-year renewals for schools with A and B state-issued letter grades — current rules cap the length of renewals at five years for A schools and four years for B schools. That provision passed by a 5-4 margin.
The new rule would renew A schools for seven more years and B schools for five more years. A-rated schools, though, could potentially receive 10-year renewals if they earned “Meets All Expectations” in every area during every year of their previous contracts. B schools that do the same could earn seven-year renewals.
Gaudet, however, switched when it came the proposal to allow certain D-rated charter schools the chance to get a “material amendment” to their contracts to add students or grade levels early if they also earned an A “progress” letter grade in advancing its lowest performing students. That provision failed by a 4-5 margin, with Gaudet voting no.
Gaudet said the board might face court challenges if it approved an early expansion for one D-rated school but rejected another.
Board member Dadrius Lanus was the most vocal board member in opposing both proposed changes. He said he continues to support charter schools, but suggested now is not the right time to add more charter schools. He said the school system needs time and space to improve its operations through the “realignment plan” it approved in April, which closed nine schools and made changes to 28 in total.
Lanus also objected to the influence of charter advocate groups.
“It’s getting to the point where some stuff just has to be called out,” he said.
“It’s OK to vote no if something is wrong,” he added.
Board member Patrick Martin V rejected Lanus’ framing of the issue, saying these were votes on two discrete issues.
“This vote is not a referendum on charter schools,” he said.
Supt. LaMont Cole supported an even more pro-charter proposal that would have given a 10-year automatic renewal to A-rated charter schools. Before becoming superintendent last year, Cole spent 13 years working for local charter school network, CSAL Inc. CSAL’s middle school received a 10-year renewal year ago that Cole said was crucial in allowing it to obtain loans needed to improve its facilities.