Gov. Nikki Haley, state superintendent Dr. Mick Zais and three state House members toured a charter school in Columbia Tuesday to show their support of state charter schools. The full House of Representatives is expected to debate a bill Wednesday that would change the way state charter schools are funded. The bill would require local districts to start providing funding for the schools.
Joining the governor and superintendent on the tour of the Carolina School for Inquiry in Columbia were Rep. Phil Owens, R-Easley, Rep. Don Bowen, R-Anderson and Rep. Eric Bikas, R-Easley. Rep. Owens is the chairman of the House Education and Public Works committee and the main sponsor of the bill to change charter school funding.
He says his bill is about fairness and having local tax dollars follow the student. "Even though the local school district is not educating the child, they want to keep the money. They don't want the money to go to where the child is actually being educated," he says.
Rep. Mike Anthony, D-Union, a long-time public school teacher and coach, says he's got nothing against charter schools but he doesn't think local districts should have to pay for the ones the state created.
"We created a statewide charter school district and I think the state should fund it," he says. He says the bill would mean anywhere from $20 million to $25 million less for local school districts, which would be devastating to them after the budget cuts they've already had.
State charter schools are currently funded with state and federal money. There are also local charter schools that already get local money.
After her tour of the school, Gov. Haley said she wants to take the politics out of the debate and focus on what's best for students. "School districts should step out of the way and understand, if it is truly about the kids then they know that body not being in their school district and that body being somewhere else is less money that they have to spend," she said.
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