News 14's Tim Boyum has more, as charter school supporters near a possible endorsement.
RALEIGH -- Charter school supporters could get a huge endorsement next month.
A state board committee appears ready to recommend an increase in charters. It would mark the first time any state committee or group endorsed the idea.
In 1997, North Carolina handed out its first charter. Charter schools are public schools that get some state funding but are allowed to set their own curriculum and are run much like a non-profit.
"What we're looking at now, ten years in, is what is the state of charter schools and what can be done to maintain the quality of charter schools," Raleigh Charter High School Principal Dr. Thomas Humble said.
The State Board of Education set up a blue ribbon commission to study how charter schools are working ten years later.
Essentially the numbers show the good schools are doing better than traditional schools but more charters are low performing than traditional.
This commission would be the first state group of any kind to recommend raising the cap.
"The great recommendation I really appreciate is that we're going to take a strong look at those charter schools that are performing at the bottom of the performance scale," State Representative Marvin Lucas (D-Cumberland) said.
But the proposed recommendation that will raise some eyebrows is raising the cap. Currently state law allows 100 charter schools. Supporters want more, opponents say fix the low performing ones first.
"I advocate lifting the cap," Humble added. "Lifting the cap is not a simple issue. One has to realize there will be some costs to do that. More personnel to cover the more schools."
This commission would be the first state group of any kind to recommend raising the cap.
"We're close to the limit but we're not there, but as we continue to monitor those systems in the charter group that are not doing well, that cap is going to be reduced, so that cap of 100 is probably going to be a moot point," Lucas added.
Even if this committee recommends raising the cap and the state board approves it, there's going to be issues at the state legislature. Several proposals failed last year at the state legislature and several studies recommend keeping the cap where it is as well.
The blue ribbon commission will make its final recommendations on November 14th.