Equity for charter schools

Everyone seems to agree that students benefit when they can choose schools that fit their interests, abilities and learning styles. And educators for years have pleaded for parents to be involved.

Charter schools provide choice and encourage parental involvement. This week's Circuit Court ruling appears to remove some unwarranted financial obstacles to their creation and operation.

Judge Roger Young deemed valid a state law that says the Charleston County School District may not deny a charter school anything that is available to a public school. There is debate about it, but the law appears to require the district to assist charter schools with building space and transportation.

Some members of the board aren't happy with the decision and are considering an appeal or a request for clarification. In providing charter schools with these big- ticket items, there would be less money for cash-strapped traditional schools.

But equal treatment makes sense if charter schools -- which also are public schools -- are to flourish. And studies have shown that some charter schools can be more successful than traditional public schools.

Unfortunately, there are too few dollars for public education in Charleston County, so competition for funds is no surprise.

But competition among schools can be a good thing. When students in any school cannot get the education they need and deserve, they have the choice of attending another school. And the school board has the option to revoke the charter if a school fails to meet standards.

Charter schools that have to spend some 40 percent of their operating budgets to rent space begin at a major disadvantage.

The board had already agreed, some of its members reluctantly, to provide space at the former Rivers Middle School for the Charleston Charter School for Math and Science. Meanwhile, Greg Mathis Charter High School has sued the district for past and future rent, maintenance and transportation costs.

School board member Arthur Ravenel, a charter school supporter, said some of the district's other charter schools are in grave financial positions.

If the concept is good enough to win approval as a charter school, it is worth treating fairly. Setting up charter schools to fail is in no one's best interest.

The Charleston County School District is reorganizing in an effort to expand school choices for students in all parts of the county. Charter schools already add curriculum diversity and energy to the mix.