Following the passage of three bills, legislation has been introduced that purposes to bring accountability to charter schools, said the author of the measure, Senator Telo Taitague. GDOE's superintendent Jon Fernandez says otherwise.

"When the other bills that were being discussed on the floor, the removal of DOE agency that was overseeing the charter schools in regards to funding was taken out of the picture," said Senator Taitague.

This was an understanding the Guam Department of education and the Guam Academy Charter schools wanted and is now a reality with new laws in place. However, this drew a concern from one lawmaker.

"I wasn't comfortable voting on this until I knew that I had something in place that would bring accountability to the charter schools and that is to support a bill that would support an administrator for the charter schools," the senator continued.

She's introduced Bill 180, a measure she says will bring accountability, by way of an administrator. This position would be chosen from the Charter School Council, the bill also incorporates the location for the school to be housed at the Guam Department of Education.

"It's about educating our students our children on Guam and I know that the separation was wanted by both sides, but that is one thing. To keep the collaboration is more important than anything. That stays together. I think if the charter schools were there, in front of doe all the time there would be this closeness the relationship can build from that," she commented.

It's a collaboration that superintendent Jon Fernandez feels is already evident without legislation.

"As you can see in the past several years with the charters, I think we all agree it just makes sense to fund us separately, have our hearings separately, deal with accountability separately and then we don't have any confusion on what our role is versus the charter school," he said.

Fernandez says he has reached out to Senator Taitague to consult on the measure.

"I think full separation means full separation. So any effort to try and get back and say DOE should do this and charter schools there doesn't need to be any involvement if there is not going to be some requisite authority or role over, we are already able to partner without legislation," he said.

This bill creates an administrative position under the Guam charter schools, who will oversee charter schools, make sure spending is done correctly watching student enrollment maintaining the collaboration with doe and charter schools.

Bill 180 is in committee, awaiting a public from Chairman Senator Telena Nelson.