Charter schools’ board quits
The entire board of trustees for New Zealand charter schools has announced it will step down, citing a lack of faith in the Government’s decision to abolish the model.
Partnership Schools/Kura Hourua board chairwoman Catherine Isaac said she had advised Minister of Education Chris Hipkins the board would retire at the end of its current term on March 1.
Hipkins has indicated a preference to close the 17 charter schools in their current form.
Issac said the board’s members were committed to innovative education for ‘‘disadvantaged or marginalised children who are failing in the regular state school system’’ and believed the Government was not taking those children’s interests into account.
‘‘We have made this decision because we do not wish to contribute to dismantling an initiative which we know is achieving so much for students, and for which there is great demand.’’
Hipkins rejected claims the Government had neglected to consider students’ interests.
‘‘We want minimum disruption for the students and are hopeful the outcomes will be positive.’’
The 17 charter schools were negotiating with the Government on a case-by-case basis to remain open as state-integrated schools, a process Hipkins said continued ‘‘in good faith’’.
Isaac disagreed. She claimed ministers had not reviewed or sought new evidence about charter schools’ achievements, and had prioritised ‘‘termination for convenience’’.
‘‘It sends a chilling message to parties considering contracting with the Government . . . that they cannot have confidence that contracts entered into in good faith will be honoured.’’
The final report of a three-year evaluation of the charter schools initiative had not yet been published, she said.
Hipkins said his ministry was ‘‘working through its feedback’’ on the report. The report’s findings offered only ‘‘limited information on the schools’ effectiveness‘‘, he said.
Isaac said the charter schools model had demonstrated success, despite being in its early days of operation.
A transitional board will likely be in place by the end of March.