Rhode Island education officials are pushing an expansion of charter schools as a way to boost innovation and quality.
Education Commissioner Deborah Gist said her goal is to have excellent schools for all children, whether it’s a charter school or regular school.
Gist and other charter school supporters want to change a law that limits the number of state charter schools to 20 and says a maximum of 4 percent of the state’s students can attend them. That’s about 6,000 students.
Right now, Rhode Island has 13 charter schools with 3,200 students and 3,600 student on waiting lists.
Gist plans to testify in favor of removing the cap when lawmakers reconvene later this month.