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Thursday, July 26, 2012

Charter Schools Initiative 1240 bankrolled by tech millionaires | UW Election Eye 2012 | Seattle Times

Charter Schools Initiative 1240 bankrolled by tech millionaires | UW Election Eye 2012 | Seattle Times:


Charter Schools Initiative 1240 bankrolled by tech millionaires

For the fourth time since 1996, Washington State will have a ballot measure on charter schools this November. This one, like its predecessors, is the brainchild of a handful of technology giants.
school bus
Image courtesy Michigan Department of Education
SEATTLE — Coming to our ballot in Novemberis a measure, Initiative 1240, asking Washington voters to allocate public tax revenues to alternative schools. These “charter schools” are exempt from some government rules and regulations and have greater flexibility in curriculum and teaching methods.
Actually, we should say coming again to the ballot.
State voters voted down charter school ballot measures in 1996, 2000, and 2004. But some wealthy individuals are committed to these