Multi school contracts for charter sponsors

With the third reading passage of the Education and Training (System Reform) Amendment Bill, it will now be easier for successful charter school sponsors to open more schools and offer proven education models to more students, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. 

“Charter schools are unlocking young New Zealanders’ potential. Students who were not attending are at school, and those who were behind are ahead,” Mr Seymour says. 

“Now that a single proven sponsor can hold a contract for multiple charter schools, more Kiwi students will have that opportunity. It means a school that's unlocking potential for kids in one community can do the same in another, without having to go through a whole new application process.  

“We know the demand for more charter schools is there. In some cases, demand was even higher than we expected. For example, Northwest College in Auckland has already had to move into a bigger building to accommodate its growth, and its waitlist continues to grow. Newer schools are in huge demand too. Twin Oaks School only opened in Term 3 last year and already has to move into a bigger space.

"The evidence for letting successful schools grow is strong. The largest charter school network in America KIPP, has shown that when you let proven models expand, kids who were behind catch up. Students who attended KIPP through middle and high school were nearly twice as likely to graduate from a four-year college as comparable peers. That's what happens when you stop blocking growth.

“We’re already seeing this at home too. For example, TIPENE took initial assessment data in February 2025. It showed more than half their students were below the expected levels in mathematics, reading, and writing. By the end of the year, 81 per cent of students were achieving at or above the expected level in mathematics, 79 per cent in reading, and 80 per cent in writing. 

“In its first year École Française Internationale Auckland surpassed the Government targets for both attendance and achievement. In Term 1 this year regular attendance at Twin Oaks was 98 per cent. 

“Last year students at charter schools also attended school more than students in the state system. Three of the charter schools which opened last year were set up to work with students who faced significant barriers to education prior to their enrolment in charter schools. This includes many students who previously attended school very rarely, but are now at school significantly more, and achieving at a much higher level. 

“Christchurch North College and BUSY School NZ are two examples of those schools. Both these schools in their first year didn’t reach their attendance thresholds, but the improvement has been significant. 

“At Christchurch North College for example, all its students were previously disengaged from education. The school began its year with a regular attendance rate of 28 per cent. In Term 4 it was 42 per cent. While at BUSY School NZ, the average attendance rate for its students before enrolling was just 19 per cent. It now sits at 83 per cent.

“Charter schools show that education can be different if we let communities bring their ideas to the table. In return for greater autonomy with how they use their funding, charter schools will face greater scrutiny and more accountability. We will continue to set tough targets for charter schools so that they continue to deliver great results.” ...