National Alliance for Public Charter Schools addresses Supreme Court case on religious charter schools

The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools has expressed concerns about a U.S. Supreme Court review regarding Oklahoma charter schools. Starlee Coleman, the president and CEO of the alliance, issued a statement outlining the organization's stance and possible implications of the court's decision.

According to Coleman, "All charter schools are public schools and are therefore bound by the U.S. Constitution, which means they cannot provide religious instruction." The organization is worried that if the Supreme Court decides to overturn the Oklahoma Supreme Court’s ruling from June 2024, it could have severe implications for the nearly four million students who attend these schools.

The main issue at hand is whether charter schools will continue to be classified as public schools under the U.S. Constitution. Coleman stated that a ruling to classify them as non-public schools could disrupt laws in 46 states, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico, potentially limiting families' public education choices. Moreover, "a decision in favor of religious charter schools will spark years of litigation."

The statement highlighted the potential financial repercussions if charter schools lose access to per-pupil funding, as this could pressure schools to cover facility costs from operating funds. Questions may also arise regarding charter school teachers' benefits in retirement and healthcare programs.

There are already numerous state programs allowing taxpayer funds to cover private religious school tuition, Coleman noted. "These private school choice programs have already been found constitutional by the Supreme Court and have been adopted in many states," hence arguing against disturbing the legal basis supporting charter schools.