NORTHERN KENTUCKY — A Kentucky House bill that could fund charter schools in the state has drawn some heavy criticism from educators. 

Charter schools are public schools run by entities outside of the local school district. Proponents say charters are more flexible and innovative than traditional public schools, while opponents argue they’re unregulated, and a drain on the public school system.

That’s the central argument regarding House Bill 9, which would allow charter schools to receive state and local funding like a traditional public school. Chad McCoy (R-Bardstown) sponsored the bill.

Kenton County School District Superintendent Henry Webb said he’s not a fan, and neither are the other superintendents and school boards in Northern Kentucky.

“While these schools are deemed to be public schools in nature, this particular policy, I don’t think, is tight enough, as it allows outside entities to come in and profit off public education,” Webb said. “Pass a bill, and then we’ll figure out how to implement it is not good policy.”

Webb argued the bill, which passed the House Tuesday, was rushed through and includes “loose pieces.”

Supporters of the bill say parents want more options for their kids.

“This COVID, when families had to stay home and find out what’s going on in schools, Americans got a little fed up with what was being taught. And we see that across the nation. They want choice,” said Rep. Kevin Bratcher (R-Jefferson County).

Under the bill, Northern Kentucky would become one of two areas to host a pilot charter program, along with the west end of Louisville.

Webb argued the region doesn’t need it.

“If any region in the state doesn’t need choice, it’s here. Our parents have 150 different private and public choices,” Webb said. “We will see lots of public funding that’ll be siphoned off of regular public education into for profit charter schools that claim to be public schools.”

The bill states Northern Kentucky University’s Board of Regents would oversee the charter pilot, but the language was changed so that NKU can deny this role.

In that case, two representatives, each from Campbell and Kenton county’s school districts, would be slated to oversee the pilot.

In a statement to Spectrum News 1, an NKU spokesperson wrote:

“NKU was not consulted about being included as a potential charter school authorizer prior to our inclusion in HB9. Furthermore, we have not had the opportunity to fully understand what is in the bill. However, the language in the legislation does provide us the ability to study the implications before making any decisions. Should HB9 become law, we will have conversations with the multiple stakeholders in our community about what impact charter schools would have on K-12 education in northern Kentucky.”

The Kentucky Department of Education released the following statement:

“The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) is disappointed with the way House Bill 9 was rushed through committee and later through the full House of Representatives yesterday.”

The statement continued saying, “Opening charter schools in Kentucky represents a seismic shift in school governance and operations. KDE is asking those in the General Assembly, particularly our legislators in the Senate, to slow down and to work with us and other educational partners to develop thoughtful legislation that puts quality standards in place for charters and their authorizers. By working together and putting some safeguards in place, we can reduce the risk of exposing any Kentucky student to a bad charter school experience.”

Webb also argued public schools are already under-funded and understaffed, and that dedicating people to oversee a new school, in his view, doesn’t help with regard to those issues.

But that ultimately may not be up to the schools.

“There is going to be a great deal of time and energy by a whole lot of people to try to open a school that’s probably gonna have less than two or three hundred kids in it, when we already have 150 schools,” Webb said. “If this becomes law, then I would imagine that every superintendent and every school board in northern Kentucky will try to do the best they can to make the very best out of what we consider to be an unfortunate situation.”

The bill would still need to pass through the Senate, and be signed by the governor before becoming law.