The Department of Education delivered a strong message during its first national conference on charter schools: public school choice is beneficial, but private school vouchers are not. The conference was held at the Renaissance Mayflower Hotel and attended by approximately 800 charter school organizers and policymakers. Secretary of Education Richard W. Riley emphasized the importance of public charter schools in his address to the crowd. However, opinions within the charter school movement vary regarding the issue of vouchers. While some view publicly funded tuition vouchers as the logical progression of school choice, others see charter schools as a preferable alternative. Currently, there are over 700 charter schools operating in 23 states and the District of Columbia. These schools receive public funding and have more flexibility compared to traditional public schools, in exchange for being held accountable for results. President Clinton has proposed the establishment of 3,000 charter schools by 2000. Mr. Riley expressed his support for charter schools and criticized vouchers as divisive and detrimental to the positive work of charter schools and other successful public schools.
The timing of the conference proved to be significant. On the same day as Mr. Riley’s speech, a voucher bill backed by Republican leaders was rejected in the U.S. House. Additionally, a "60 Minutes" segment aired, highlighting the troubled Marcus Garvey Charter School in Washington and raising questions about charter school accountability. This segment was a topic of discussion in many conference sessions. Gerald N. Tirozzi, the Education Department’s assistant secretary for elementary and secondary education, expressed his hope that the conference would portray a different message. During a session on "Community Relations – Communicating Your Successes!", panelists advised charter school operators on the importance of effective communication both within and outside their schools. The CBS story was cited as an example of the media’s ability to shape public opinion. The Education Department also circulated draft guidelines on the application of federal civil rights laws to charter schools. These guidelines provide information on recruitment and admission policies, as well as the impact of existing desegregation plans on charter schools. Frustration towards local school district officials was evident in many conference sessions, as charter school organizers described the resistance they faced from their districts. Greg A. Richmond, the charter schools director for the Chicago district, found the conference attendees to be a challenging audience.