Charter school advocates, including some notable Floridians, gather in DC

This week, charter school advocates are gathering in the nation's capital in a turbulent political climate.

Some luminaries of the movement have called out the Trump administration for proposing cuts to federal programs that support public education. Others see unprecedented political opportunities for the school choice movement — and specific initiatives like the federal Charter Schools Program.

Nina Rees, the head of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, helped set the stage in The 74.

Democratic supporters of charter schools are understandably concerned about voicing support for President Trump’s proposed increase in CSP funding. They don’t want to be associated with his agenda, much of which they find repugnant. And yet it would be irresponsible to ignore the impact that $500 million in annual CSP funding could have on our ability to give more students access to a great public education.

Republicans, meanwhile, may be tempted to put charter schools on the back burner as they pursue their mission to reduce federal funding and control of education, devolve power to school districts, and promote access to private school choice options. And yet we know that charter schools are doing more, right now, to empower local communities and bring real choices to families in nearly every state in the country. Anyone who takes local control and choice seriously must make charter schools a priority.

There's no shortage of Floridians present for this year's national charter schools conference. Many of them will add breadth to an event whose agenda goes well beyond national politics. Here are a few notables.

• This morning, U.S. Rep. Al Lawson, D-Tallahassee, will speak on a panel, "Great Schools By Us, For Us" about charter schools and the black community. (Lawson also serves on the board of Step Up For Students, which publishes this blog.)
• This afternoon, Juana Brown of the Redlands Christian Migrant Association will join a panel discussing the intersection between charter schools and Pre-K. Her organization runs preschools across Florida, as well as a pair of charter schools dedicated to helping the children of farmworkers.
• On Tuesday, students and educators from charter schools run by the management company Academica will discuss its track record serving low-income students. The organization hosts similar panels every year, but this one is especially timely, since the South Florida organization is involved in the high-profile effort to turn around struggling public schools in Jefferson County.

Also Tuesday, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos will be interviewed on stage by Derrell Bradford, the executive vice president of 50CAN. Bradford has his own nuanced take on the politics of school choice in the Trump Era.

We'll have updates on all this and more as the proceedings unfold between now and Wednesday.