New charter school application season begins

SEATTLE — A new application season has opened for charter schools in Washington state.

The state Charter School Commission has set an April 17 deadline for declaring intent to apply to open a charter school.

Potential applicants have been invited to attend a webinar March 17 to learn what changes have been made in the application process. There will also be two in-person orientation sessions.

Applications for new charter schools are due May 15.

Washington’s new charter school law will allow up to 40 of the independent public schools to open in the state.

The statewide charter commission has already approved eight charter schools, with one already opened and six others scheduled to open in fall 2015.

Spokane Public Schools, which can authorize charter schools, has approved two more schools scheduled to open in 2015.

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