Tennessee Turns Its Back on Results
Lawmakers Decline to Improve School Conditions
CER Press Release
Washington, D.C.
April 3, 2014
The Center for Education Reform’s President, Kara Kerwin, issued the following statement in reaction to the blocking of HB 1693 in the Tennessee Legislature today:
“There is no reason a bill allowing for public-private partnerships in the oversight and administration of charter schools should have been rejected by the Tennessee House Calendar and Rules Committee.
“In every industry, including education, the State government and city of Nashville has approved, time-and-again, the use of for-profit, private entities to manage public services that affect every aspect of people’s lives.
“The reason Tennessee’s charter school sector is still considered to be nascent is due in large part to the incremental steps lawmakers have taken to bolster it. The assimilation of groups that prioritize performance and outcomes above all else would represent a monumental step forward in improving Tennessee schools, both charter and traditional.
“The careless dismissal forbidding charter schools to contract with education management organizations unfairly eliminates high quality, results-driven providers from helping Tennessee charters create a better option for students, parents and teachers.”
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Read why Tennessee’s Charter School Sector Would Benefit from Public-Private Partnerships here
