Committee passes Carter’s charter school bill

A business donating land or a building or making major renovations or technology donations to a charter school could become a “corporate partner” of the school and be assured of spaces at the school for its employees’ children, under House-passed legislation approved today by the Senate Education Committee. The proposal in House Bill 421 by Rep. Steve Carter, R-Baton Rouge, would allow such a charter school to set aside up to 50% of its enrollment for dependents of the corporate partner’s employees. Gov. Bobby Jindal’s economic development chief, Stephen Moret, was among those who testified for the bill, saying it could be an important tool to recruit new businesses to Louisiana. Opponents feared the charters partnered with corporations might end up discriminating against low-income students in a district. Steve Monaghan, president of the Louisiana Federation of Teachers, says the concept could work to the detriment of some students if an employee loses his or her job or the company moves away. “Then, your children are no longer entitled to an education in that building,” he says. The bill was advanced to the full Senate by a vote of 5-1 with Sen. Yvonne Dorsey, D-Baton Rouge, casting the only “no” vote.