Senate Bill 8, a bill transforming charter schools in North Carolina, advanced along a largely party-line vote through a Senate committee, moving it to the floor. The bill’s original intent was to lift the cap on the number of charter schools in the state, now set at 100. It grew to include many more changes to the laws governing charter schools.
Democrats offered an amendment forcing charter schools to provide transportation to students and participate in the free and reduced-price lunch program. The amendment was defeated, as Republicans said many charter schools do both and that imposing mandates could force some schools to close.
To watch CarolinaJournal.tv’s full report on the charter school reforms, click on the video.