Charter school advocates packed the statehouse rotunda Wednesday to urge lawmakers to continue their support for charter schools. 

    

A statehouse panel is considering changes that could decrease funding for charter schools. Jeremy Chiappetta from Blackstone Valley Prep Mayoral Academy said families should have choices when it comes to public school.

“We are looking to continue to grow a high quality public school sector that includes charter schools, state run schools, independent schools and certainly traditional public schools,.” Chiappetta said.

Supporters say there’s a high demand for charter schools and the state should make more charter school seats available to meet the demand. Chiapetta said families are asking to enter his schools at the rate of nearly ten times the number of seats.

“Families who are seeking the very best education for their kids have a right to have that protected, and quite honestly we need to make sure that more and more families have similar opportunities.”

Chiapetta said it’s an issue of making sure all public schools get the best results for taxpayer dollars. Opponents say more of those dollars should be used for traditional public schools.