State attorney general asks Supreme Court to reconsider charter school ruling



OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — Attorney General Bob Ferguson filed a motion Thursday asking the state Supreme Court to reconsider its ruling that Washington's charter-school law is unconstitutional.

The Supreme Court ruled Sept. 4 that the privately operated, publicly funded charter schools created under a voter-approved initiative do not qualify as common schools under Washington's Constitution and thus cannot receive public funding.

The high court's opinion was set to take effect later this month, but will be put on hold until the court rules on the state's request for reconsideration. There is no timeline on when the court may rule on the request.

Initiative 1240 passed with 50.7 percent of the vote in 2012, making Washington the 42nd state to approve charter schools.