APNewsBreak: Charter school group to raise $160M

By DORIE TURNER Associated Press Writer

ATLANTA (AP) - Groups hoping to open charter schools across the country could soon have millions more dollars available.

The Charter School Growth Fund is announcing a $160 million fundraising campaign Wednesday. It's the largest-ever campaign aimed at helping start more of the nontraditional public schools nationwide. The goal is to establish 335,000 more spots for children at charter schools in the next decade.

The Denver, Colo.-based fund started in 2005 and raised $85 million in its first fundraising campaign. The money has gone to 20 organizations and helped create 100,000 charter school openings.

The campaign comes at a time when the Obama administration is calling for more charter schools to open across the country as one of the ways to help improve education in the United States.