What is it? Referendum 55 asks voters to uphold or rescind a law, passed in Olympia last spring, that would allows the first charter schools in Washington state. A yes vote would keep the law, while a no vote would reject it. Charter schools are currently on hold pending outcome of the vote.

What would it do? Charter school opponents, hoping to overturn the new law, collected the signatures to put Referendum 55 on the ballot. Charters are public schools freed from most education regulations and run by private, non-profit organizations under a contract, or charter, with a school board or, in this state, the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. The schools would receive taxpayer money be funded with public tax dollars and must admit any student who applies, with a lottery if there are more applicants than seats.

Supporters say charter schools would increase innovation by allowing educators to try new approaches that wouldn’t be possible in existing public schools. They also argue charter schools would be more accountable because they can be closed by their sponsor, or if they don’t attract enough students.

Opponents say charters would weaken existing public schools by shifting scarce dollars into a new system of schools that hasn’t proven to be better, and sometimes is worse, than existing public schools. They also say that charters are less accountable to the public because they aren’t directly controlled by locally elected school boards.

There are now more than 3,000 charter schools in about 40 states, but debate continues about their value and whether they strengthen or weaken the existing public school system.

Washington voters rejected charter-school initiatives in 1996 and 2002. The law that passed the Legislature last March would allow a maximum of 45 new charters in the next six years, with the majority reserved for those that serve disadvantaged students. School boards also could convert existing schools into charters if they’re falling short of goals set out in the federal No Child Left Behind Act.

Who supports charter schools? Washington Roundtable; Association of Washington Business; Rogelio Riojas, SEA MAR Community Health Clinics; David Shaw, former superintendent of the Pasco School District and former chair of the Academic Achievement and Accountability Commission; National Council of La Raza; Businessman and A+ Commission member Jim Spady; Microsoft founder Bill Gates Jr.; Pat Wasley, dean of the College of Education at the University of Washington; Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce; United Indians of All Tribes.

Who opposes charter schools? Washington Education Association; League of Women Voters of Washington; the American Association of University Women of Washington; Washington Association of Churches; Washington State Democratic Party; Seattle School Board; Washington Public Employees Association; Washington State Labor Council; Washington Association of School Administrators; Public School Employees of Washington.

More information:

• To read the initiative: www.secstate.wa.gov/elections/initiatives/signatures.aspx

• No on R-55: www.RejectR55.org or (206) 270-5500

• Yes on R-55: www.approveR55.org or (206) 652-5596