Number of charter schools to increase slowly

LANSING, Mich. — A leading advocate of charter public schools does not expect to see a large increase in their numbers despite a new law that removes the cap, according to Michigan Radio.

Dan Quisenberry, president of the Michigan Association of Public School Academies, said that instead of exploding he expects the number of new charter public schools to slowly increase over the next several years.

“The new law will probably have more effect on fall 2013," Quisenberry told Michigan Radio. "And even then we wouldn’t expect some kind of dramatic change."

Previously, Michigan public universities were only allowed to collectively authorize up to 150 charter public schools.  Even with the removal of that cap, only six public universities are currently taking applications to open new charter public schools, according to The Detroit Free Press.

SOURCES:

Michigan Radio, “The number of charter schools in Michigan expected to increase slowly (though mainly in 2013),” Jan. 7, 2012

The Detroit Free Press, “6 Michigan universities now taking applications for new charter schools,” Jan. 10, 2012

FURTHER READING:

Mackinac Center for Public Policy, “The Difference With Charter Schools,” Dec. 2, 2011