The Texas Legislature’s role in charter authorization is to provide a statutory framework to allow for charter schools to bring innovation and choice to Texas students. Given the shortcomings of the current charter authorization process, the Legislature should investigate other opportunities.
Key Points:
- Charter schools offer options for a quality education to Texas students.
- The charter authorization process has failed to bring adequate access and innovation to Texas students.
- The cost and burdensomeness of the charter school application process has chilled the supply of new school applicants.
- Regulation and environmental factors have limited innovation in the charter sector.
- TEA should remove barriers to access and innovation, including by simplifying the application process, and the Texas Legislature should create alternative methods to establish new charter districts.