Gov. Doug Ducey said he's open to the idea of reforms in how charter schools are operated, including how they handle their finances.

Charter schools, insufficient public school funding and Proposition 305 were some of the topics in the first debate in the race for state superintendent of public instruction.

What Arizona’s charter school revolution has taught us is that educational approaches can be as diverse as the ever-changing needs of Arizona’s students. And thanks to our governor and state Legislature, those diverse needs are being served. It would be a shame for parents and students if the charter school revolution came to an end because a handful of anti-charter advocates managed to convince an even smaller group of reporters that Arizona neither needs nor deserves choice in education. After all, if charter schools were not doing a good job overall, why are so many students flocking to them?

A Phoenix nonprofit aiming to open 25 A-rated charter schools serving students in the city’s urban core by 2020 is well on its way to meeting its goal.

Arizona’s public education system could use more money– a point few argue against. The disagreement comes when elected officials and education advocates start talking about how to get there.

The will of taxpayers is being evoked by both sides in the debate over a bill that would require school districts to sell property to charter or private schools when they are the highest bidders.

Last month, the ACLU of Arizona released “Schools Choosing Students,” a report detailing the illegal or exclusionary enrollment policies at many of the state’s charter schools, which lead to students being denied equal access to a high-quality education. Every piece of information in the report is specific, sourced and designed to help families and schools.

Affluent families could afford to buy homes in expensive neighborhoods with high-quality schools. As for everyone else, we were at the mercy of our local district school. Students stuck in failing schools had no escape.

The Arizona Department of Education has spent more than $100,000 to correct problems that led to the misallocation of millions in federal funds, and those costs could continue to rise.

For decades, our state has been a national leader in education freedom – the radical concept that parents know their own children best and should be empowered to select a school for them that is the right fit. The movement has flourished. Consider public charter schools, where enrollment is booming and reached a record 185,000 students statewide this year.