UAPCS is growing the charter movement

The key to success in the the world of influencing public policy at the legislature is based on:

1. Relationships
2. Political clout

The reason that education is so successful in getting first dibs on extra money isn't because the UEA has a lot of money, it's because they (and other education, especially education establishment, groups) have the good will of a lot of voters.  

Charters have been at a disadvantage when it comes to education policy and funding.  While they have the sympathies of a lot of influential people in the legislature, and many more now that Chris Bleak is leading the effort, charters haven't had the same level of support from voters.

When it has come to allocating money to students, which charters have argued for, or to the traditional system and its districts, which the establishment has argued for, the establishment has a lot more people who fight for their position, and they have the sympathy of a lot more voters.

As charters have grown so has our potential influence as a voting bloc, but until Chris Bleak's initiative this year to organize charter parents into a real political force, that potential has always been unrealized.  In the past, efforts from UAPCS's former leadership to organize parents has been limited to asking schools for email lists and asking Carolyn Sharette to make phone calls.  (Which she's always done.)

This year, UAPCS sought and received a grant specifically to build up a network of charter school parents and educate them on the process to influence public policy.  Earlier this week there was such a meeting in St. George that was so successful, the local newspaper reported on it.  (Unfortunately, it's a subscriber site, so no link--I don't subscribe.  I excerpt it here from the Spectrum.

Asking parents to be more politically active, proponents of better funding for Utah's charter schools were drumming up support Thursday for what will likely be more wrangling over funds during the upcoming general session of the state Legislature.

Adam Edwards, who said he moved to the area partly so that his two children could attend George Washington Academy, said he was considering trying to become a Republican Party delegate in order to gain more influence.

Edwards said that before Thursday's meeting, he didn't understand how the funding worked, but after hearing from Urquhart and others, he was upset. "Once you understand it, you're like, 'really?'" he said. "It kind of boils your blood a little."

This is one among many reasons why schools should continue to support our association.  UAPCS is building the strong foundation of organized and educated charter school parents that are the key to improving charter school policy and funding in Utah.