Director, Commonwealth Policy Center

Kentucky became the 44th state to permit charter schools. These are public school that avoid much of the bureaucracy that bogs down teachers into minutia and mires students into endless tests.  Some focus on Science Technology Engineering or Math (STEM) while others might focus on language, arts, or college preparation. In inner city areas they are closing the achievement gap and are some of the top-performing schools in the country. Opponents of charters decried any money being taken away from existing public schools. Proponents said children trapped in failing schools should have alternatives. And that's the crux of the debate: should we do what's best for children or what's best for the system?—a system in many cases that have shortchanged too many children.