Parent Trigger School Bill Moves to State Senate with Less Teeth

A bill that would make it easier for parents to close or convert failing schools has been sent from the Senate Education Committee to the full senate with less power for parents than originally written.

As the law stands currently, a school has to be rather “Academically Unacceptable” for three straight years before state officials can recognize the problem, and then has to maintain that status for an additional two years before parents can petition to close or convert the school into a charter.

Therefore, the current method traps children in failing schools for no less than five years before a school cam be closed or converted.

The bill originally would have let parents petition for closure or conversion after two years of unacceptable ratings.

The modifications to Senate Bill 1263 extends the rule to trap children for three years instead of two.

The modifications also do not allow charter operators to play any part in the decision, which seems to allow failing schools to continue poor performance as long as they can prove that Charter operators assisted in any corrective action.

Information from the Associated Press used in this story