Group Rallies Support For Charter Schools
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Several hundred people are heading to Springfield Wednesday morning to show their support for charter schools.
Before boarding buses, they are holding a rally at Soldier Field.
The group is backing an Illinois State Senate bill that they say would improve the quality of charter schools in Illinois.
The bill, SB 0079, would establish a new State Charter School Commission as an independent agency with jurisdiction over charger schools. It would be composed of nine members appointed by the state Board of Education, on the recommendation of a slate of candidates proposed by the governor.
After the Soldier Field rally, the group will hold a second rally at noon outside the Illinois State Capitol.
Charter schools receive public funding, but are operated privately. They can restrict admissions, but they are not permitted to charge tuition.
Each charter school has its own curriculum, schedule and admissions process that may differ from traditional public schools.
While charter schools are often perceived as the next bastion of excellence, they are not supported universally. Some complain that they take resources away from neighborhood schools, and represent exclusion rather than choice.
