Study: RI's charter school laws lacking

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) -- Rhode Island's laws governing charter school are among the worst in the country according to a report released Tuesday by the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (NAPCS).

Overall, Rhode Island ranked 35th out of 43 states in the group's fourth annual ranking of state charter school laws. 

The findings were outlined in a report entitled Measuring Up to the Model: A Ranking of State Public Charter School Laws.

The rankings are based on twenty factors, including how each state's charter school laws measure quality and accountability, ensure equitable access to funding and facilities, and limit caps on charter school growth.

“Rhode Island’s ranking went from 26 ^th to 35 ^th this year," explained NAPCS vice president Todd Ziebarth in a news release. "This drop had more to do with the aggressive changes made in other states than with any steps backward in Rhode Island.”

“Rhode Island’s law is in need of significant improvement, most notably by removing the state’s caps on charter school growth, providing additional authorizing options for charter applicants, ensuring authorizer accountability, providing adequate authorizer funding, and ensuring equitable access to capital funding and facilities.”

Rhode Island experience the second steepest drop in its charter law ranking.  Only New Hampshire saw a more dramatic decrease, falling eleven spots from 19th to 30th.