Iowa State Board of Education

 Position Statement on Charter Schools

March 22, 2000

The Iowa State Board of Education is supportive of innovative educational practice that results in improved student performance.  In order to achieve this, the State Board encourages schools and school districts to pursue the flexibility that is already a part of Iowa law and to utilize research in determining the best instructional and organizational practices.

At this point, however, the Iowa State Board of Education does not feel that it is either prudent or necessary for the State of Iowa to incorporate charter schools as part of Iowa’s system of public education.  While a number of states have authorized charter schools, the research and evaluation of this practice has yet to clarify the effectiveness of charter schools on student performance.  It is not clear which particular policy designs are most effective or under what conditions they might be effective in improving student learning.  The State Board believes that broad policy changes should not be introduced without reasonable evidence of potential success.

While there is a continuing need to improve student performance at both the elementary and secondary levels, establishing independent attendance centers might as easily drain energy and resources from the primary district effort to improve learning for all of its students.  This is particularly true when resources are limited and, in many cases, school districts may need to decrease the number of attendance centers rather than support additional ones. 

In contrast to other states, the Iowa Department of Education already has options in place for regulatory flexibility which would allow a school in an accredited school district to achieve nearly the same level of autonomy as charter schools in other states.  Section 256.9(48) of the Iowa Code (attached) provides the Director of the Department of Education broad authority to grant exemptions from all of the educational standards contained in section 256.11 and rules.  In addition, Iowa is one of 12 Ed-Flex states granted the authority to waive federal education program requirements, a waiver designed to give increased flexibility while stressing accountability for improving student academic achievement.

We believe that any policies that structure local innovation, including charter schools, should demand that new local efforts:

·        Emphasize first and foremost clearly defined goals to improve student achievement;

·        Proceed with involvement and commitment of parents, neighborhood or community leaders, and staff;

·        Assure quality teaching for all students;

·        Assure equity in financial resources with other schools within the district or with other school districts;

·        Provide access to all resident students on the same basis as public schools;

·        Comply with basic state and federal laws including health and safety, civil rights and open access to school meetings;

·        Assure the continuity of successful learning experiences as students enter or leave a charter school or in the event the charter school does not continue.

 The Iowa State Board of Education will continue to monitor the emerging practice of charter schools in other states and remains open to the potential merit of this concept.

 Code of Iowa, 256.9(48) (1999)

Grant annual exemptions from one or more of the minimum education standards contained in section 256.11 and rules adopted by the state board of education to nonpublic schools or public school districts who are engaging in comprehensive school transformation efforts that are broadly consistent with the current standards, but require exemption from one or more standards in order to implement the comprehensive school transformation effort within the nonpublic school or school district.  Nonpublic schools or public school districts wishing to be exempted from one or more of the minimum standards contained in section 256.11 and rules adopted by the state board of education shall file a request for an exemption with the department.  Requests for exemption shall include all of the following:

a.                 A description of the nonpublic school or public school district’s school transformation plan, including but not limited to new structures, methodologies, and creative approaches designed to help students achieve at higher levels.

b.                Identification of the standard or standards for which the exemption is being sought, including a statement of the reasons for requesting the exemption from the standard or standards.

c.                 Identification of a method for periodic demonstration that student achievement will not be lessened by the granting of the exemption.

 The director shall develop a procedure for application for exemption and receipt, review, and evaluation of nonpublic school and public school district requests, including but not limited to development of criteria for the granting or denying of requests for exemptions and a time line for the submission, review, and granting or denying of requests for exemption from one or more standards.