Gov. Matt Bevin is calling on Kentucky lawmakers to pass charter school legislation next year. Charters operate independently of many public school regulations, but receive taxpayer funding. They can be shut down if they don’t meet certain academic requirements.
Bevin says Kentucky is one of just seven states without a charter school program.
“Competition is healthy and good,” Bevin said. “Let’s start with public charter schools. Let’s start with those failing schools in Jefferson County and Fayette County, among others, and primarily in those counties, where you have two and three, and now even four generations of failing schools.”
Charter school opponents say taxpayer money shouldn’t be diverted from public school systems.
Charter school measures have been passed in the Republican-controlled Kentucky Senate in recent years, but have never succeeded in the Democratic-led House.
