The state House of Representatives has increased the options for charter schools by providing a new avenue for applicants. The Senate should join the House in encouraging the creation of more alternative public schools that offer students and their parents more school choice.

The House proposal creates a state charter school district under the governor's authority that can grant applicants a charter to operate. They will continue to have the option to apply for charters before local school boards. The bill is strongly supported by Gov. Mark Sanford.

Charter school advocates say that local school boards aren't always open to the idea of charter schools. While they are public schools, charter schools don't operate the direction of the district or its school board.

Opponents of the charter school concept complain that they take money away from public schools, since they are eligible for the same per pupil expenses. Under the new law, however, schools chartered by the state charter school district will be eligible for state and federal funds, but not local school money. If approved by the local board, a charter school would also receive their share of local per pupil funds.

The governor's office tells us the new provision for charter schools is modeled after North Carolina's, and points out that the number of charter schools in that state is about five times that in South Carolina even though both approved their respective charter laws the same year. There are 125 charter schools in North Carolina and 23 in South Carolina.

Nevertheless, the number of charter school has substantially increased in South Carolina over the last three years since the Legislature provided for an appeals process for applicants who initially were denied by their local school board. That law also provides for a review of applications by a state advisory board, to determine if they meet the required standards for a charter school.

But in counties where school boards have resisted the concept, the state charter school district will improve the options for school choice. Going the state route won't be an easy option to take, given the loss of local funding support.

The House bill underscores the importance of offering meaningful school choice to parents who might not be able to afford a private school. Charter schools can improve traditional public schools by offering them competition. Both are reasons to encourage their creation and success.