As mentioned earlier, it’s election time. Due to census-driven redistricting, all members of the State Board of Education are up for reelection, including districts 3 and 5 in the San Antonio area.
The Express-News recently analyzed the election, asking what impact it might have on the textbook wars. “All 15 SBOE seats up for grabs”, Gary Scharrer, San Antonio Express-News, May 20, 2012. (For a lighter take on the textbook wars, see the next post for a clip from “The Daily Show”.)
When they are not busy editing textbooks, however, the SBOE is also responsible for oversight of charter schools. The Committee on School Initiatives, also called the “Charter School Committee”, reviews and grants charter school applications and renewals. (For more details, see the TEA‘s Charter School Handbook at pages 4-5.) San Antonio’s Ken Mercer is the committee chair, and committee member Michael Soto is also from San Antonio.
So, despite all the fuss about the textbook wars, please remember that the State Board of Education election could have an impact on charter schools, too.
