Board moves toward charter school decision

The measure to control the growth of charter schools, a key to ending court-enforced busing, may be voted on next week.

By KELLY RYAN

© St. Petersburg Times, published May 17, 2000

LARGO -- They raised their voices. They argued. They snapped at each other. But after three hours, School Board members came closer to agreeing on a proposal to control the growth of charter schools.

Now, the School Board's attorney must persuade lawyers for the NAACP Legal Defense Fund to support the suggested changes. One suggestion is to disregard an earlier recommendation to require student admissions for charter schools to go through the school district.

U.S. District Judge Steven Merryday is deciding whether to accept a negotiated settlement between the board and the Legal Defense Fund to end 30 years of court-enforced busing. The only issue holding up Merryday's decision: charter schools.

Merryday has said he wants to see a specific plan to control charter schools so they won't impair the district's ability to successfully meet the requirements of the settlement. That includes maintaining racial balance in schools through 2007.

With the help of a court-appointed mediator, Superintendent Howard Hinesley and lawyers for both sides negotiated a proposal they thought would answer Merryday's concerns.

Their proposal would require that student admissions be processed through the district and limit the number of students in each part of the county who would be allowed to attend charter schools. Charter schools, which get public money but are run by private groups, also would have to meet race ratios.

Board members had so many questions that they refused to approve the proposal when it was presented last week. The mediator, Tampa lawyer Peter Grilli, called each board member into individual meetings Saturday to discuss the proposal.

On Tuesday, board members pored and picked over the 14-page document. Ultimately, they only asked for a handful of changes.

Among them: that charter schools not be required to conduct their admission processes through the district. They also asked that certain drop-out prevention programs be exempt from the ratios and enrollment limits.

Board member Jane Gallucci said it defeats the purpose of charter schools to require that their admissions go through the district, because charter schools are supposed to have more freedom than other public schools.

School Board attorney John Bowen said he would try to work out an agreement with the Legal Defense Fund soon so the board could vote on the proposal next week.

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