Fast Facts:

Law passed: 2012

Most recently amended: 2016

Number of charter schools: 18

Number of charter students: 4700

Cap on the number of schools allowed: Yes, a maximum of 40 charter schools

Virtual charters allowed: No

Charter Law Analysis:

AUTHORIZERS: Washington Charter School Commission and public school districts, with prior approval from the state, but Spokane Public Schools is currently the state's only district authorizer, and oversees the two charter schools in Spokane. There is no appeals process for denied applications.

GROWTH: The current cap on the total number of charter schools allowed is 40 and only 8 are permitted each year. Slow but steady growth, with number of students attending up to more than 3,000, from 1,300 two years ago. With five more schools slated to open in Fall 2020, we are hopeful this is a positive trend.

OPERATIONS: Charter schools are exempt from most rules and regulations that apply to traditional district schools. However, authorizers have the ability to write rules and regulations into charter contracts, which can create burdens on schools.

EQUITY: Charter school funding was found unconstitutional (a grave error) so they are funded by the Opportunity Pathways Account in Washington, which is funded by the state lottery. The statute states that funding for charter schools should be equitable to the state funding for other public schools, but it does not mandate equity. The state superintendent allocates funding to charter schools and calculates it by using a statewide average of a variety of funding categories. Authorizers can retain a four percent oversight fee. For facilities, charters have the first right of refusal to lease or purchase any unused or closed facility put on the market by local school districts. Charter schools do not receive per-pupil facilities funding.

USE OF STUDENT DATA IN EVALUATING TEACHER PREP

"Washington does not currently use student achievement or growth data to hold teacher preparation programs accountable."

This is just one indicator from The National Council on Teacher Quality, which collects and analyzes states on how well their policies and practices lead to well-prepared teachers. They collect data on state laws and regulations concerning the preparation of teachers, the policies that govern their oversight and the contracts that guide their employment. Learn more about your state here.