Committee Republicans Advance Bills Weakening Accountability and Oversight of Charter Schools

Committee Republicans Advance Bills Weakening Accountability and Oversight of Charter Schools

WASHINGTON - Today, Committee Republicans voted to advanced two bills (H.R. 7082 and 7086) that weaken accountability, transparency, and long-standing protections for students in charter schools.

H.R. 7082, the Fostering Learning and Excellence in Charter Schools (FLEX) Act, weakens oversight of the federal Charter Schools Program while redirecting funding away from classrooms. The bill expands vague allowable uses of federal funds and gives the Secretary of Education broad discretion over a significant portion of program dollars-changes that are likely to favor large charter management organizations over students, educators, and local schools. Rather than addressing documented cases of waste, fraud, and misuse of charter funds, the legislation eliminates key transparency and accountability requirements and prioritizes unchecked "flexibility" over responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars.

"Charter schools already close at far higher rates than traditional public schools, and audits have documented waste, fraud, and abuse. Instead of addressing the issues we know exist in the charter school system, this bill seeks to increase funding for charter school management organizations while reducing transparency and accountability. That is not flexibility-it's just negligence." said Ranking Member Scott.

H.R. 7086, the Equitable Access to School Facilities Act, dismantles the current per-pupil facilities aid program and replaces it with a new state facilities aid program that lacks meaningful evaluation, oversight, or accountability. The bill disproportionately benefits states already committed to rapid charter expansion, accelerating growth without ensuring funds are used effectively or equitably. If improving access to facilities is truly the goal, safeguards are necessary to ensure the program's effectiveness and maintain public trust.

"Most notably, [H.R.7086] replaces the per-pupil facilities aid program with a new state facilities aid program that lacks evaluation or oversight and establishes priorities that favor states that are already more charter-friendly … effectively ensuring that the number of charter schools will continue to grow quickly in those states," said Ranking Member Scott. "[It] creates a new, expansive program without mechanisms to ensure effective measures to prevent misuse. If facilities are truly a priority, accountability should increase-not disappear."

Read Ranking Member Scott's opening statement here.

Read Democratic amendments and letters of opposition to H.R. 7082 and 7086 here.

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