Virginia will remain a school choice desert, thanks to state Senate Democrats. In defiance of even President Obama’s policy toward charters, they killed a bill empowering the state Board of Education to authorize new public charter schools.

This power currently resides solely in the hands of Virginia’s local school boards. They often use it to squelch competition, at the expense of students. For example, the Fairfax County School Board denied an application by its own teachers to set up the Fairfax Leadership Academy, over fears that it would siphon students and funding from nearby Falls Church H.S. This is why there are still only four public charter schools in the entire commonwealth.