Baldwin board urges legislation to give local voters a say on charter school approvals

The Baldwin Union Free School District board voted to approve a resolution urging legislation that would require local voter approval of charter school applications affecting district residents.

The resolution stated that charter schools receive public funding through taxation, that charter budgets are not overseen by locally elected boards and that charter growth can divert public funds from districts with resident students enrolled in charter schools. The resolution concludes by urging legislation to require that charter applications be approved by voters in impacted communities before submission to the state chartering entity.

A board member clarified the nature of the action: "This is basically just a letter that we are supporting ... adding our voices at this moment in time. It's not specifically something that's going to change this, but added with many other school districts ... we would hope that eventually it would help obtain this goal," the board member said, noting the resolution is intended to be an expression of support rather than immediate statutory change.

The motion to adopt the resolution was moved and seconded and the board carried the motion.

What’s next: The action will be circulated as part of the district’s advocacy efforts; no formal legislative change was enacted by the board itself.