Snyder signs bill increasing Michigan charter schools

By Kathy Barks Hoffman Associated Press LANSING (AP) -- Public universities in Michigan will be able to authorize an unlimited number of charter schools by 2015 under legislation signed recently by Gov. Rick Snyder. The state now has 255 charter schools and new ones are allowed to open under certain circumstances. But the state currently has a limit of 150 charter schools authorized by public universities. The cap will be raised to 300 in 2012 and 500 through 2014 before being eliminated in 2015. Democrats, teachers unions and some administrators say the move will hurt traditional public school districts. They charge that new law doesn't require enough oversight of charter schools, which are largely run by private, for-profit companies. They wanted the law to do more to ensure the quality of new charter schools. But Snyder said quality is assured because charter schools must meet the same requirements as other public schools. Charter schools get state education funding but are generally run outside regular school districts, although districts are allowed to set up and oversee charter schools. "People are looking for choice -- high-quality choice," he said at a signing ceremony. "We're going to make sure we deliver the best to our kids." Supporters say having more charter schools will boost options in public education, especially for students in poorly performing school districts. More than 115,000 Michigan students currently attend charter schools. House Education Committee Chairman Tom McMillin, a Rochester Hills Republican who took over running the committee after GOP Rep. Paul Scott was recalled for aggressively pushing changes in teacher tenure laws and other school-related issues, said thousands of Michigan students are on waiting lists to get into charter schools. "There's going to be a lot of hope for kids who didn't have it" now that the cap is being lifted, McMillin said. ---------- Follow Kathy Barks Hoffman on Twitter @kathybhoffman Published: Mon, Dec 26, 2011