Montana Senate agrees to floor hearing of charter schools

By BOBBY CAINA CALVAN

Associated Press

HELENA - The Montana Senate last week revived a charter schools bill that would sidestep the authority of school boards and the state Board of Education by establishing a new statewide commission to oversee a system of nontraditional schools.

Democratic Rep. Jonathan Windy Boy of Box Elder has been pushing the bill as a way to give communities, particularly those on tribal lands, more flexibility and choice in education. But critics worry that a possible proliferation of charter schools would siphon money from the public school system and would lack...