Assembly committee chairman says charter schools on life support

Monday, June 30, 1997 | 11:03 a.m.

Wendell Williams, D-Las Vegas, said he's talking with Sen. Jon Porter, R-Las Vegas, one of the sponsors of SB220, allowing 25 charter schools in the state as a trial.

"If he's willing to consider some language, there's still a chance," said Williams, who has made it clear he doesn't like the idea of wide-open charter schools legislation.

That language, Williams said, would make charter schools "more experimental instead of opening charter schools so they become like gated communities."

He said as charter school innovations prove themselves, they should also be moved into regular schools, but that the concept should function as a way of making those experiments, not as a replacement for public schools.

"The successes that happen in charter schools should be transferred to regular schools," he said.

If they can't reach agreement, Williams said he has already requested a charter school bill for the 1999 legislative session.

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