Feb. 4, 1998
                                  NEWS TIP SHEET

	News item: At the General Assembly, Senate and House committees 
approve charter schools legislation.

	University of Virginia Experts	
	% Assistant professor Frederick M. Hess, who holds a joint 
appointment in the Department of Government and Foreign Affairs and in the 
Curry School of Education. Received a $50,000 grant to study charter schools 
in Arizona and has written briefing papers on charter schools for both the 
Horizon Institute and the Harvard Conference on Governance and Schooling. 
Has a book on the politics of urban school reform due out later this year. 
His view: "There are theoretical reasons to believe that charters may improve 
school performance (at least in some cases), but structure and context are 
key. I am undecided thus far on the value of charters, but believe there are 
key design features that ought to be carefully considered in any program.  
I do not think that experimenting with charters is problematic, but I am 
uncertain about their value." He can be contacted at his office between 
11 a.m. and 5 p.m. at (804) 924-7825; or at home after 9 a.m. and before 
10 p.m. at (804) 963-7909.

	% Gerard T. Robinson, a doctoral student at the Curry School of 
Education. Helped found one charter school in New Jersey and consulted for 
others. Has advised state Sen. Mitchell Van Yahres (D-Charlottesville) on 
the topic; is currently participating in an internship with Del. Mary 
Christian (D-Hampton). His view: "Charter schools have a lot of potential. 
They are an answer, but not the answer." Best contacted at (804) 979-3285 or 
via e-mail at gtr4v@virginia.edu; he is in Richmond on Thursdays and some 
Fridays during the session but checks his voice and electronic mail.

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