More Democrat governors, more skepticism of charter schools

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With new Democrats set to take over the governor's mansion across the country, the charter school movement may face a shifting political landscape in several key states.

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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 06/12/2018 (2838 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

With new Democrats set to take over the governor’s mansion across the country, the charter school movement may face a shifting political landscape in several key states.

The incoming governors elected in November in California, Michigan, Illinois and New Mexico have all said they want to take the rare step of putting a halt on new charter schools.

In addition, the new governors in Connecticut, Kansas, Maine and Nevada are also expressing less enthusiasm for charters than their predecessors.

They’ll replace outgoing leaders who have openly supported the sector that enrolls roughly 3 million students across the U.S. in schools that are publicly funded but privately run.

Heading into 2019, there are now 23 Democratic governors after Democrats flipped seven states from Republican control.

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