State rep: Charter schools need more financial oversight

Charlotte Talks on WFAE had a strong lineup on the panel this morning for a discussion of education in North Carolina.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Superintendent Ann Clark was there, as was Gov. Pat McCrory's senior education adviser (Eric Guckian) and state Board of Education chairman Bill Cobey.

But I what most caught my ear were some comments from N.C. Rep. Craig Horn, a Republican from Weddington.

In response to questions about several Charlotte-area charter schools that had failed this year, Horn said that North Carolina needs to do a better job of making sure a proposed charter has its financial house in order.

"Charters need to be held to a higher level of accountability on the finance and governance side," he said.

He said that lawmakers had focused a lot on making sure charter school academics were up to snuff, but now needed to shift.

Here are a few more things that stood out:

• Clark said CMS would be hosting five to six "teacher voice sessions" over the coming months for teachers to talk about what would create a better working environment for them.

• Cobey said that the state will require virtual charter schools to provide children they accept with a computer and Internet access if the student doesn't have access.

• Cobey also said charter schools have struggled in Mecklenburg County because CMS has done a good job offering choices to families.

• Guckian said McCrory's goal is to move toward one electronic device per student in every N.C. school.

Listen to the conversation yourself at this link. It will also replay on the radio at 9 p.m.

N.C. moving toward online charter schools

The state Board of Education will get a report Wednesday on virtual charter schools, a venture other states have tried with mixed results.

The report suggests that the state legislature clarify rules for charter schools that have no physical location,  and that the state consider starting with a pilot authorizing about three virtual charter schools.  It also suggests a different funding formula than that used for most charter schools. While counties are required to pass along per-pupil funding for those schools,  the report suggests making it optional for online charters.

State education officials,  Public Impact consulting firm and advisers from charter schools, districts,  higher education and homeschoolers crafted the plan,  which will go to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee if the state board approves it.

Virtual education is hardly a new concept,  as the report notes.  The state has already created its own Virtual Public School,  and several districts,  including Charlotte-Mecklenburg,  Iredell-Statesville and Union County,  also offer their own online courses.

"This trend is quickly growing across the state, even attracting homeschoolers in some districts and being used for dropout recovery in others. These locally based digital academies are largely using a
blended model, which provides education both virtually and in-person,"  the report says.

The question is whether North Carolina can ensure quality,  which has been a challenge in states that moved more quickly to let other providers offer online education at public expense.

Providers are eager to jump in.  Connections Academy,  a Baltimore-based virtual school company that is part of Pearson,  is holding meetings around North Carolina this month to drum up support for an eventual online charter program for grades 6-12.