What the controversy at a Washington charter school reveals about the politics of school choice

What do a former Seattle sports star, a Grammy-winning musician, and a school administrator have in common?

They’re all at the center of a controversy surrounding a charter school in Des Moines, Washington: Why Not You Academy.

The vision was to give students real working experiences outside of the classroom, and give them a leg up for life after graduation.

But it may have become an example of a greater challenge in Washington state. Why Not You Academy is just one of a small group of charter schools in Washington state; there are fewer than 20 across the state.

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That may be because of broad support for a more traditional education model — a model some schools, like Why Not You Academy, have tried to buck with varying degrees of success.

Why Not You Academy co-founder and then-CEO Scott Canfield shared the school's ambitious goals for students in a video posted on the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools' YouTube page back in 2021.

"Our approach leads with student interests," Canfield said. "It's really much more grassroots and leaning in and helping students identify their vision for where they want to go after high school."

Why Not You Academy also has some well-known financial partners who bring a level of star power: former Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson and his wife, singer Ciara. Their non-profit, the Why Not You Foundation, donated $1.75 million to the school.

But dozens of students have left the school since the start of the school year in August, and some staff are alleging a "toxic" culture within Why Not You Academy.

Seattle Times education reporter Dahlia Bazzaz talked to educators, families, and students about their experiences at the charter school. Many parents told Bazzaz that the first year was idyllic, a "honeymoon phase."

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That wasn't the case for some staff members, though.

"A lot of staff members said that they could start to see problems cropping up at the school from the beginning," Bazzaz said.

Staff that used to work at Why Not You Academy told Bazzaz they felt demoralized under the leadership of CEO Abigail O'Neal. One teacher said O'Neal would undermine her decisions in the classroom. In one instance, O'Neal walked into a classroom, took the assignments off students' desks with little explanation, left the room, and came back with new assignments.

O'Neal said she doesn't remember that specific incident, and she denied other accounts from other teachers and staff.

The big picture behind charter schools in Washington

While Why Not You Academy is one of a small number of charter schools in Washington state, charter schools have become increasingly popular in many other places across the country, especially since the pandemic.

"I think there was a fair amount of unhappiness when schools closed. And for some families, they just couldn't stay home with their kids and do an online school option," said Cara Fitzpatrick.

Fitzpatrick is a story editor for Chalkbeat, a nonprofit news organization that covers education and schools. She's also the author of "The Death of Public School: How Conservatives Won the War Over Education in America."

She said one reason why charter schools haven't taken off in Washington is that prior to the pandemic, there was strong support for a more traditional educational model.

"There was a little bit of maybe suspicion about what charter school really was for and what the effect would be on public education," she said. "It's been kind of a wild ride for that state it compared to others where it's just been contested, left and right from the start."

In 2012, voters narrowly approved a ballot initiative to allow public funding for charter schools. But the state's relationship with charter schools has been fraught; the Washington Supreme Court later ruled that general fund money couldn't be allocated to charters.

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Today, charter schools in Washington still don't receive as much public funding per student as standard public schools because they can't access levy money.

To Fitzpatrick, this shaky relationship reflects an attachment and commitment many parents have to "try and make things work" in their child's school district.

"You don't have many parents sort of looking for this alternative that the charter school represents," Fitzpatrick said. "And really, until the pandemic, I don't think there was as strong move in Washington for charter schools."

Listen to the full interview with Dahlia Bazzaz and Cara Fitzpatrick by clicking the play button at the top of the page.