Frank Riggs: “We are seeing a tremendous and I believe pent-up demand for more choice, more selection, if you will, in public…”

“We are seeing a tremendous and I believe pent-up demand for more choice, more selection, if you will, in public education. We are beginning to see waiting lists created in charter schools around the country. Our legislation stipulates that children must be served on a first come, first served basis with a lottery system, if there are more students desiring to get into a particular school than there are classroom spaces. And that first come, first served system includes children with learning disabilities. In fact, we have seen charter schools started in many communities around the country for the express and sole purpose of serving children with learning disabilities and special education needs. Again, I urge my colleagues to support this bill. It will infuse more competition and more choice into the public education system and make that system less monolithic and more responsive to parents and the needs of their children. I urge passage of the legislation.”