The Richmond School Board will ask Virginia to change the law on charter schools so the people who work in the schools aren't required to be employed by the public school district.
The proposed change, part of the legislative agenda adopted by the board Monday, is aimed at reducing confusion over who oversees charter school employees, such as the embattled principal of Richmond's first charter school.
"I really think it would help bring some clarity," said Richmond School Board Chairwoman Kimberly M. Bridges.
Patrick Henry School of Science and Arts chose Pamela L. Boyd as its first principal last year, but she was hired by Richmond Public Schools. Now Boyd is on personal leave, taking 12 school days after she returned from three months of paid administrative leave amid questions about her leadership.
Patrick Henry officials have voiced frustration with the arrangement because they have had difficulty getting answers from Boyd about important school policies, ranging from transportation and summer programming to mismanagement of a student activity fund she controls.
"Having the Richmond Public Schools being the employer has caused confusion from time to time, in our experience," said Patrick Henry Vice President Kristen Larson.
"There is confusion about who they're accountable to," Larson said. "This change in the law would help eliminate some of the confusion."
The School Board proposal was lauded by national advocates for charter schools who say Virginia's law is among the weakest in the nation for fostering the creation of public schools with a high level of autonomy to set their own policies.
"The School Board is moving in the right direction," said Todd Ziebarth, vice president of state advocacy and support at the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools.
Ziebarth said charter schools need autonomy in core functions such as staffing. "In exchange for that, there is a high level of accountability to show results."
With the principal and other school employees being employed by the public school district, "it creates a ton of confusion about who has autonomy and who has accountability."
Bridges called the current arrangement "an odd structure" that requires the charter school to vet employment candidates but leaves the responsibility for hiring them to the school district.
Once they are employed by the district, "they follow our policies and procedures," she said. "We have to treat them exactly the same as any other Richmond Public Schools employee."
While Patrick Henry officials like the idea of eliminating the employment requirement, they are wary of the potential costs. Currently, the school relies on the district's human resources department and other forms of staff support.
"We hope the legislators looking at changing the law also consider the budget implications," Larson said.
But Ziebarth said charter schools have to accept the financial responsibilities that come with autonomy.
"You can't have your cake and eat it, too," he said. "If you want to be fully accountable, you definitely have to take on all the responsibilities that come with it."
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