Education chief warns state against charter caps-WEB ONLY

A plan by Indiana House Democrats to cap funding for charter schools was criticized yesterday by U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan.
Duncan said states that place limits on charter schools will jeopardize their chance to get an expected $100 million from a pot of money set aside for public school reforms under the stimulus bill passed in February.
“States that do not have public charter laws or put artificial caps on the growth of charter schools will jeopardize their applications under the Race to the Top Fund,” Duncan told reporters during a conference call, according to a statement released by the U.S. Department of Education.
The department will begin accepting applications for the $4.35 billion Race to the Top fund this summer. It also has $1.5 billion to distribute to states that demonstrate improvements in teaching and learning for all students.
Of the 40 states that allow charter schools, 26 have caps on their funding. President Barack Obama has called on those 26 states to lift the caps.
Indiana does not have caps, but a plan floated by House Democrats this year would add the state to the list.
Duncan’s statement also singled out Tennessee, where the legislature has failed to act on a bill that would lift enrollment restrictions on charter schools.