Sen. Fedor pushing charter school accountability in legislature

Wastebusters: Charter School Audits Proposed In Bill
June 22, 2006

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- A top critic at the Statehouse is pushing a reform plan to track public dollars and prevent waste with charter schools.

Critics of charter and community schools are trying to keep up the pressure at the Statehouse. They have alleged that public money is being spent in private, and there’s too much secrecy.

The top critic is Toledo state Sen. Teresa Fedor, who is a former public-classroom teacher. She has introduced a bill in the legislature to require more public accountability by all charter schools.

At this time, the schools themselves undergo regular audits by the state auditor much like traditional public schools.

Under the bill, the sponsors of those charter schools and the companies that operate them would also undergo that same audit process.

Fedor said that’s the only way to find out exactly where public money is going. Charter schools, especially ones run by large management corporations, said they already have enough accountability measures in place.

Fedor said she is hoping to get some hearings on her plan, saying her overall goal is to protect public tax dollars.