Dan McKee Sacrificed Rhode Island’s Children to Save His Career
Gov. Dan McKee (D-RI) signed into law a three-year ban on new charter schools in Rhode Island on Thursday. He told reporters that “the circumstances have changed,” despite saying five years ago that there was “no room for compromise.”
TL;DR
- Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee signed a three-year ban on new charter schools.
- The ban lowers the charter school cap from 35 to 28 and retroactively cancels charters not approved by July 1, 2025.
- The De La Comunidad Bilingual School, intended for Black and Hispanic students, was blocked by the law.
- Parents, like Giselle whose daughter excels at Nuestro Mundo, support charter schools for their academic benefits.
- Data from Stanford shows Rhode Island charter school students gain additional learning days in reading and math.
- Despite strong parental demand and academic evidence, the ban is criticized as politically motivated.
- Critics suggest the ban is influenced by teachers' unions and does not solve public school financial or enrollment issues.
- The article links McKee's decision to campaign donations from a teachers union PAC and the Senate President's leadership of the same union.