West Virginia Executive Fall 2019 | Page 38

The Great Debate Charter Schools in West Virginia CONTINUED ON THE WEB SAMANTHA CART Over the past two years, charter schools have been among a handful of hot-button topics in the heated discussion on how to reform education in West Virginia. While both sides of the aisle agree a quality education system is vital to a thriving economy, there is much debate on what changes need to be made to get there. In June, Governor Jim Justice signed House Bill 206, an omnibus education bill allowing charter schools to open in West Virginia for the first time in the state’s history. In an effort to better understand the arguments for and against charter schools, West Virginia Executive magazine reached out to Dale Lee, president of the West Virginia Education Association and a strong opponent of charter schools, and Garrett Ballengee, executive director of the Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy and a fierce advocate, for their unique perspectives on some of the statements that have been made during the debate.  Charter schools provide more options for educational freedom. BALLENGEE: I think many people fail to under- stand that we already have educational freedom in this state and in this country—if you can afford it. There is nothing preventing families with the financial resources from choosing the school that best fits their children’s needs, whether it is by paying for private school, hiring tutors or moving to the neighborhood zoned for the best schools. Unfortunately, those same neighborhoods often have mortgage payments that reflect that reality and are out of reach for most families in West Virginia. Reforms such as charter schools, guaranteed open enrollment and education savings accounts are intended to give the single mother the same educational options families with more substantial financial means already have. The current paradigm simply 36 WEST VIRGINIA EXECUTIVE perpetuates the reality that poor families have limited access to better educational options and thus the hurdles put in their way are only made more significant. LEE: Parents in West Virginia already have educational freedom. They have the freedom to homeschool their children, send them to private school or send them to church-related schools. They already have different ways of providing that educational freedom to their children. We see charter schools as another way of picking the haves over the have-nots. If West Virginians are looking for ways of changing the delivery of instruction, we also have that in West Virginia with innovation zones, which have proven to be very successful.