Public Funding Of Private Charter Schools A "Go"

Ohio's supreme court has given those who support the public funding of privately-operated charter schools a victory:

COLUMBUS, Ohio – A divided Ohio Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that publicly funded, privately operated charters schools are constitutional, delivering a blow to a coalition of parent groups, teachers’ unions, and school boards that had joined to challenge Ohio’s creation of the alternative schools.

In a 4-3 decision, the court upheld the state Legislature’s ability to create and to give money to common institutions of learning – even if those public schools are not subject to the same reporting and operational requirements.

“As the statewide body, the General Assembly has the legislative authority and latitude to set the standards and requirements for common schools, including different standards for community schools,” Justice Judith Lanzinger wrote for the majority.

Teachers’ unions sued Ohio in 2001 over the state’s 1998 charter school law, under which the alternative schools have grown from 15 in 1998 to 250 last year.

There's more in the whole piece.

If a private school gets public money, does that mean that those institutions (as is the case with traditional public schools) must teach all children? Or can they exclude those children who are behavior problems or have learning disabilities? (As is the case with traditional private schools.)

Food for thought. ---------------------------------See our latest EduPosts here and this date's Extra Credit Reading there.