Authorization Reform
Currently in Maine, there are three types of entities capable of authorizing a charter school, namely a local school board, the MCSC, and a collaborative of local school boards formed for the purpose of establishing a charter school. Although all these eligible authorizers undoubtedly serve an important role in the charter school system, there is room to expand the list such that a greater number of quality charter schools will be afforded the opportunity of opening their doors to Maine students. Given that charter schools could potentially be viewed by members of local school boards as a form of competition, it is not hard to imagine circumstances under which there would be a great deal of pushback for those seeking to establish a charter school within this environment. To remedy this, other qualified groups, namely education-focused nonprofits and Maine-based universities, should be granted the ability to become charter school authorizers in Maine. Doing so would not only help to avoid potential conflicts of interest, but it would also bring different perspectives into the fold, helping to inject more innovation into Maine’s charter school system.