Washington, D.C. – Today the Kentucky State Senate passed HB 520, a bill that would allow charter public schools to open in Kentucky for the first time. The Senate passed the bill by a 23-15 vote. The State House passed the bill on March 3 by a 56-39 vote. After a concurrence vote in the House, the bill will be sent to the Governor, who is expected to sign the bill into law.
Kentucky is currently one of only seven states that do not allow charter public schools. This bill would change that and allow these tuition-free public schools to open and begin providing students and their families with additional no-cost, high-quality school options.
The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools released the following statement from its president and CEO, Nina Rees on the Senate passage of HB 520:
“Todays vote is a win for Kentucky students. HB 520 will open the door for new high-quality schools to open in the Bluegrass State.
“HB 520 draws upon many of the best practices in charter school laws that have been learned over the first quarter century of the charter school movement, while also considering the unique needs of Kentucky families. The bill provides charter schools with the flexibility to innovate, while ensuring that charter schools will be held to a high standard of accountability for results.
“This bill would not have passed without the leadership of Representative John Bam Carney, the Chairman of the House Education Committee, Senate President Pro Tempore David Givens, and Senate Education Committee Chairman Mike Wilson. We thank them for their tireless commitment to the children of Kentucky, especially those most in need of great public school options.
“We also thank our coalition of charter public school supporters who were critical to this success, including the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, Americans for Prosperity Kentucky, the Kentucky Pastors in Action Coalition, Greater Louisville Inc., the Foundation for Excellence in Education, the Campaign for School Equity, and the National Association of Charter School Authorizers.
“Governor Matt Bevin has pledged his support for bringing high-quality charter public schools to Kentucky and we encourage him to sign this bill without delay.”
About the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools
The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools is the leading national nonprofit organization committed to advancing the public charter school movement. Our mission is to lead public education to unprecedented levels of academic achievement by fostering a strong charter sector. For more information, please visit www.publiccharters.org.