States with multiple authorizers for charter schools generally have stronger charter schools. Florida not long ago got an additional authorizer, which is comparable to Colorado's Charter School Institute. In Florida the board is called the Florida Schools of Excellence Commission. In certain districts, without exclusive chartering authority, the Commission can charter schools.
The debate in Florida mirrors Colorado. In fact, it's kind of humorous that the attorneys don't find new arguments, they just recycle what's already been used. In Colorado, the Boulder Valley School District, the Westminster 50 School District and the Poudre School District filed suit against the Charter School Institute, saying the Institute's statutory right to charter within their district boundaries was unconstitutional. (Recently both Poudre and Westminster withdrew from the CSI lawsuit, leaving Boulder as the sole claimant.) Same thing in Florida -- the Broward County School District has filed a suit against the Commission for the very same grounds.
About a dozen states have a state-level authorizer for charter schools. These states are given priority preference points in the federal Charter School Grant Program because of this provision. Most everyone agrees that an authorizer with only one job -- sponsoring charter schools -- is better at it. School districts have multiple responsibilities and competing schools. They only occasionally have to consider a charter application. The CSI is regarded as having a quality application process and upholding high quality standards. It's clear they're doing a good job.
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