O'Bannon signs charter school legislation into law

The idea floated around in the General Assembly for seven years.\nBut Indiana now joins 36 other states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico in allowing charter schools, autonomous public schools that don't fall under the control of a larger district or board. \nCharter schools -- which are secular and tuition-free -- relax state regulations for administrators. The state vests them with authority to design their own curriculum and control their own spending. \nStill, the students would be required to take standardized tests and meet state academic standards. \nGov. Frank O'Bannon -- a longtime charter school advocate -- signed a law Wednesday that allows establishing charter schools.\n"Indiana's efforts to give our schools greater flexibility are helping schools promote innovative approaches to education to ensure that every student is able to reach his potential," O'Bannon said at a Wednesday press conference. "I am pleased today to sign the bill into law and take a step toward more flexibility in our local schools."\nA sponsor draws up a charter, a contract with the state that lays out a school's goals and standards for measuring student performance. If the schools fails to comply with the terms of its charter, the state reserves the right to revoke it.\nThe sponsor is responsible for overseeing all administrative aspects of a charter school. Under the legislation, school corporations across the state would be able to draft charters. \n"This legislation is a careful balance between school board authority and local innovation programs," House sponsor Greg Porter, D-Indianapolis, said. "It also strikes a balance between current school districts and parental choice."\nPending the approval of the state department of education, public universities with four-year degree programs and the mayor of Indianapolis would also be able to set up and operate charter schools.\n"This authority is a responsibility I take very seriously," Indianapolis mayor Bart Peterson said. "I look forward to working with all members of our community to make charter schools a success."\nIn a Thursday press conference, Peterson unveiled his plans for establishing charter schools in Indianapolis. Through executive order, he created a review process and an advisory board to sift through applications. \nPeterson expects the first applications to come in this fall. And by 2002, he hopes a few pilot schools will be up and running.\nUnder the legislation, the only applicable regulation requires that teachers have an Indiana license. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle supported the bill, which is intended to foster creativity in the classroom.\n"The passage of this law is a great new opportunity for Hoosier families and teachers," Senate Sponsor Teresa Lubbers, R-Indianapolis, said. "The success of the charter schools in Indiana will be marked by improved student learning."\nDespite bipartisan support, legislative efforts had long been bogged down in disagreements over teacher licensing, labor rights and other issues. Compromise on teacher licensing and unrelated labor concerns won the support of the Indiana State Teacher's Association, the largest teacher's union in the state.