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Windy Boy honored by National Alliance for Public Charter Schools

Rep. Jonathan Windy Boy, D-Box Elder, is receiving national recognition for his attempt to change how Montana handles charter schools.

National Alliance for Public Charter Schools has listed Windy Boy as one of 19 state and federal “Charter champions.”

“I did not have this award as my goal this session. However, I am honored to be presented as one of the honoree’s on the national stage in policy making with school choice,” Windy Boy said in a statement about the award. 

Windy Boy’s bill, which originally would have established a commission separate from the Montana Board of Public Education to administer charter schools, finally died in the Legislature when, on a 55-45 vote April 26, a motion to suspend rules and accept the bill failed. The vote required a two-thirds majority.

But the bill gained more traction than bills in the past three sessions, although it was far from its original form on the April 26 vote. The proposal was substantially revised to keep charter schools under the jurisdiction of state and local school boards to appeal to Democrats. The Senate amended the bill April 26 before sending it back to the House on a 31-17 vote.

Sen. Mike Lang, R-Malta, voted for the amended version while Sens. Frank Smith, D-Poplar, and Russ Tempel, R-Chester, voted against it.

In the House vote, Reps. Jacob Bachmeier, D-Havre, and Windy Boy voted for the amended version while Reps. Casey Knudsen, R-Malta, and Jim O’Hara, R-Fort Benton, voted against it.

Windy Boy touted the fact that several tribal governments, including on the Rocky Boy’s and Fort Belknap Indian reservations, supported the bill.

Most school districts, including some from local reservation schools, opposed the bill in its original form.

Montana’s administrative rules already detail the creation of charter schools. Last year, charter schools were established in Bozeman and Libby.

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Online: The 74: “National Charter Schools Week to Toast 19 State & Federal ‘Champions’ From Both Parties at Capitol Hill”: http://bit.ly/2qHTe4p

 

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