RALEIGH -- After a close vote in the state Senate, education officials will now have the power to turn underperforming schools into charter schools.
The bill does not raise the state's 100-school cap on charters, but does allow for as many as 135 new charterlike schools that would be controlled by local school boards.
Gov. Bev Perdue has pushed for a speedy passage of the bill, and officials hope the change will help the state win in the second round of the federal Race to the Top grant competition. Applications for the second round are due Tuesday, which helps explain why the Senate rushed to pass the bill.
The bill was a close vote for the Senate, which recessed twice so Democrats could caucus and get a head count. Five Democrats were absent Thursday and to finally get the bill passed, Democrats worked the phones to find three absent members who would have voted yes.
In the Senate, an absent senator can "pair" his or her vote with a present senator who is planning to vote the other way. Three Democratic senators - Don Davis of Greene County, Steve Goss of Watauga County and John Snow of Cherokee County - did not vote.
The upshot: Democrats canceled out at least three no votes and were able to pass the bill 21-19.
Every Republican who was present in the Senate voted against the bill. Republicans have objected because the converted charter schools would still be under the control of local school boards.
"But for the closed-door, procedural maneuver, this bill would have failed and parents would have a better opportunity to secure for their children the quality education they deserve," Sen. Phil Berger, an Eden Republican and the chamber's minority leader said in a statement.
Supporters in both chambers have said that the bill is good education policy and isn't just a maneuver to win federal dollars.
"We passed the bill because it's a good bill," said Sen. Martin Nesbitt, an Asheville Democrat and the chamber's majority leader. "For the life of me, I don't see what's wrong with this bill."
Perdue praised the legislation.
"This is about doing what's right for our kids," Perdue said in a statement. "It will strengthen North Carolina's goal for making all schools successful and making sure all students receive a quality education."
