The Louisiana Legislature passed legislation in the final week of the legislative session to eliminate the cap on the number of charter schools allowed to open and operate in the state of Louisiana, which was previously 70.

Baton Rouge, LA – The Louisiana Legislature passed legislation in the final week of the legislative session to eliminate the cap on the number of charter schools allowed to open and operate in the state of Louisiana, which was previously 70.  The push to remove the cap came as a direct result of President Obama and Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan’s call for all states to lift the cap on the number of charter schools in order to be more competitive for the federal Race to the Top funding.

Currently, there are only 27 charter schools that counted toward the limits of the cap, as Type 5, or Recovery School District Charter Schools, do not count towards the cap.  “We applaud the legislature for lifting the cap on the number of charter schools allowed to operate in Louisiana,” says Caroline Roemer Shirley, the Executive Director of the Louisiana Association of Public Charter Schools.  “State imposed caps do not ensure a higher quality of education, but do limit access to high quality public school choices for students who are currently being served by academically failing schools.”

The Race to the Top funding, a pot of 4.35 billion dollars, is a competitive grant geared toward the creation of programs and methods that lend to innovation and change in public education.  “Louisiana, and particularly New Orleans, with its large number of charter schools that are encouraging innovation on a daily basis and concurrently succeeding in raising student achievement, are in an extremely competitive position to apply for these monies,” says Roemer Shirley.

Charter Schools are independent public schools that are free to be more innovative and are held accountable for student achievement.  “It is time that the successes we see in charter schools be shared with our traditional public school peers, and this funding is the first step in creating a public education system statewide that focuses on encouraging new methods of educating that are specific to the needs of Louisiana’s children,” says Roemer Shirley.

About Louisiana Association of Public Charter Schools

The Louisiana Association of Public Charter Schools (LAPCS) is a 501c3 non profit organization whose mission is to increase student achievement by supporting, promoting, and advocating for the quality charter school movement.