If Superintendent Carl Cohn has his way, the San Diego Unified School District would shift much of the responsibility for approving and managing its charter schools to other organizations…. Cohn is partnering with the California Charter Schools Association to explore legislation that would allow colleges, universities and other entities to authorize and oversee San Diego's growing number of charters…. It's the first time that a superintendent of Cohn's stature in California is backing such legislation….

Cohn says charter schools take up too much of the school board and staff's…. So much time is spent on them… that the district is distracted from serving the other 90 percent – about 117,000 students – who attend district-run schools…. “When you've got 36 of 50 states that are out there in the country with multiple authorizers, why not California?”

The California School Boards Association…. doesn't think it's such a good idea…. “Charter schools are part of the public school system,” said Stephanie Farland, senior research and policy consultant for the association. “We really believe it belongs in the hands of the local school districts and local boards.”

Greg Richmond, president of the National Association of Charter School Authorizers, said having multiple authorizers creates a competitive environment that could help raise the quality of schools.…. “By having different authorizers in place, the schools get to find the best match…” But he warned…. Charter schools struggling to get their charters renewed because they are not doing well may shop around until they find someone to approve them.

Helen Gao, San Diego Union Tribune, March 24.