Former charter schools are expressing caution about David Seymour's revival plans

A return to charter schools is again a leap into the unknown, with educational institutions wanting to see the details of the new legislation before they change back

By the time term one starts next year up to 35 state schools will be open as charter schools, six years after the model was abolished the first time around.

They have just six months to get ready for the change but even the old charter schools haven't decided whether they'll make the switch back.

"We're at the point that we'll wait and see what comes out in the legislation," says Karen van Gemerden, chief executive of Villa Education Trust which runs South Auckland Middle School and Middle School West Auckland for years seven to 10.

South Auckland Middle School used to operate as a charter school before they were changed to a designated character school under Labour.

"I think it's very likely to be a very positive thing but until the details are announced I think it would be hard for anyone to say straight out that they're going to convert when they don't actually know what the model looks like."

Villa was among the first to be granted charter school status for its schools under the previous National government but changed to a designated character school under Labour.

Van Gemerden welcomes the revival of the charter schools but says Villa is working well as a special designated character school.

"Switching to be a designated character school did give us more availability to some of the ministry resources for some support of the students etc that we weren't entitled to as a charter school," she says.

It was no surprise when the Associate Education Minister and ACT leader David Seymour last week announced charter schools' reinstatement, after promising to revive them during last year's election campaign.

The Government will allocate NZ$153 million from the 2024 Budget to convert 35 state schools into charter schools next year and create 15 new charter schools between 2025 and 2026.

Most of that money will be spent on the 15 new schools over the next four years, RNZ education correspondent John Gerritsen tells The Detail.

Called partnership schools or kura hourua, the model horrifies the critics who say there's no evidence that they are public money well spent. Supporters say they give schools autonomy and flexibility to educate students who are failing in the mainstream system.

Some of them have also been at the centre of some wide-ranging controversies.

What's not known is which state schools will convert and what scrutiny they will face, Gerritsen says…

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details