North Carolina Will Have 25 More Public Charter Schools

North Carolina Will Have 25 More Public Charter Schools

September 6, 2012 | Kathryn Mobley

Next year, some North Carolina families will have more school options for their children. This morning, the State Board of Education approved 25 new public charter schools. One is Uwharrie Chater Academy in Randolph County. According to the state, there are 26 charter schools in the Piedmont Triad.

Darrell Allison is president of Parents for Educational Freedom in North Carolina. He says the State Board's vote reflects there's more than one way of educating children. But Allison emphasizes the addition of 25 new public charter schools means families in only 53 counties have access to them. North Carolina has 100 counties.

While Allison says his goal is to establish public charter schools in every county, he strongly advocates groups creating them must first establish a solid foundation to ensure they meet state standards. Last year, the State Board of Education lifted the cap on the number of public charter schools. This summer, board members reviewed an estimated 60 public charter school applications.