Governor Schwarzenegger visited a San Diego charter school today where he signed legislation that helps charters to pay their rent. The money comes from Proposition 98 that was approved by voters two decades ago. KPBS reporter Ana Tintocalis has more.
The governor visited KIPP Adleante , a college preparatory charter school for poor and minority kids. Close to 350 students are packed into the school, which is located in a pricey high-rise building in downtown San Diego. But now the state will hand out $18 million in state funding to KIPP and other charters to help them pay for their new or existing lease.
California Charter School Association president Caprice Young was at KIPP when the Governor signed the bill.
Young : The reality for most charter schools is the districts in which they are located either can't or won't give them facility space, even though they're required by law. And so what they do is they have to go and spend the instructional dollars they get from the state on buildings instead of on books and teachers.
Young says more than 150 charters that serve poor and minority students will get the funding.
Ana Tintocalis, KPBS News.
