CORRECTED   May 31 2022

REFERENCE TITLE: charter schools; rules; opposing

State of Arizona

Senate

Fifty-fifth Legislature

Second Regular Session

2022

SR 1003

Introduced by

Senator Mesnard (with permission of Committee on Rules)

A Resolution

opposing the new charter school rules being proposed by the biden administration.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

Whereas, charter schools are a crucial part of Arizona's education system; and

Whereas, there are approximately 550 charter schools in the State of Arizona, representing approximately 230,000 students statewide; and

Whereas, while nearly 60% of the students enrolled in Arizona's charter schools are nonwhite students, charter schools value success over student diversity quotas; and

Whereas, approximately 34% of Arizona's charter students meet at least one of the poverty indicators; and

Whereas, 12 of the 15 Arizona counties have charter schools; and

Whereas, the charter system applies free-market principles to education and gives parents and students choices, which incentivize competition among schools and leads to better student outcomes; and

Whereas, decades of research have shown that charter schools often have greater success in underserved communities; and

Whereas, nearly 70% of charter schools in Arizona receive a letter grade of "A" or "B" under this state's school grading system; and

Whereas, at the behest of the teachers' unions, the current administration has introduced rules regarding charter schools that would hamper parental choice; and

Whereas, these rules were introduced quickly and quietly with a mere 30 days for public comment; and

Whereas, the one-size-fits-all regulation of charter schools, as suggested by the federal government, does not work for Arizona.  This state's charter school system functions very differently from other states in that charter schools are not under the umbrella of a traditional school district; and

Whereas, the new Biden rules would jeopardize federal dollars for our charter schools and would dramatically hamper the growth of new charter schools in Arizona.

Therefore

Be it resolved by the Senate of the State of Arizona:

That the Members of the Senate oppose the new Biden rules regarding charter schools that are being proposed by the Biden administration.