Charter schools have been reintroduced by the coalition agreement between National and Act.
David Seymour was appointed as a the Associated Minister for Education (Charter Schools) in November to manage the process for establishing charter schools.
While the deal could see new charter schools opening, it also allows for any public school to convert to charter.
Any person in a school community could apply for a state school to convert to a charter school. If successful in this process, the school board would be disestablished and the management of the school would be handed to the sponsor. The sponsor would have a ten-year contract with the Crown. The school would need to meet performance outcomes agreed in the private contract between the sponsor and the Crown.
Public Schools at Risk
Anyone in a school community can apply for a public school to convert to a charter school. They only need a sponsor (a business or trust). Once a public school steps out of the system, it is no longer the responsibility of the government. This means students would lose access to Ministry supports like learning support specialists and crisis response, and that Ministry directives like the cellphone ban and structured literacy no longer apply.