Voters should reject this measure

The League of Women Voters, Washington and the American Association of University Women, Washington, urge voters to Reject Referendum 55. Across the nation, charter schools have had mixed results at great cost to students and taxpayers.

Referendum 55 would authorize private boards elected or appointed by non-profit corporations to manage and operate charter schools without the transparency and accountability to voters that publicly elected school boards have.

Referendum 55 would take money from public schools at a time when funding for K-12 is being cut and unfunded mandates are a continuing burden to public schools.

Referendum 55 would create a separate school system of charter schools exempt from state statutes and rules applicable to public school districts, even though the Washington state Constitution requires a general and uniform system of public schools.

Washington state ranks third highest in the country in the percentage of students attending alternative public school programs. There is already competition among schools and districts.

The Legislature should pursue ways to fulfill its paramount constitutional duty to amply fund public education instead of diverting resources to charter schools, which the voters of this state rejected in 1996 and 2000. We urge you to reject Referendum 55 for the third time.

Janet Chalupnik

President, LWV

of Snohomish County

Edmonds