Written by Nicholas Vetrisek
Three San Diego charter schools are suing the state for denying them funds and forcing them to turn away thousands of students as a result.
The schools that filed the lawsuit are Classical Academies, Springs Charter Schools, and The Learning Choice Academy. The schools are claiming that the state denied them funds and required them to either pay out of pocket for students or turn many of them away.
California blocked funding from following children to charter schools this year
This protects a monopoly at the expense of students.
Charter schools are now suing the state.
— Corey A. DeAngelis, school choice evangelist (@DeAngelisCorey) September 29, 2020
This lawsuit is in response to legislation passed by Democrats that only gives charter schools the amount of state funding they received the previous year, regardless of how many new students the schools have. This policy is devastating charter schools because the amount of children being enrolled in charter schools is drastically higher than last year as a result of COVID-19. The policy is seen by many as a power play by teachers’ unions to maintain their de facto monopoly on education.
The plaintiffs say that state law entitles charter schools “to full and fair funding.” They also say that funds should go to the schools where students are attending, not the districts they were originally from. “They’re going to send the money to a local school district who doesn’t serve those students anymore. I mean, how silly is that,” said Classical Academies CEO Cameron Curry. “It’s a reminder to us all that this isn’t district money; this isn’t school money. This is student funding.”
Charter schools must win this lawsuit against the state. Money should go to the schools where students are attending and not be withheld simply because charters and not supported by unions.
