EDITORIAL CHARTERS UNDER ATTACK BUDGET BILL WOULD UNDERMINE EDUCATION REFORM.

CALIFORNIA'S charter schools and the governor who supports them may soon face a Sophie's Choice, thanks to Democratic leaders in the Legislature.

In the budget now pending in the Legislature, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger would double the money now available to pay for facilities for charter schools serving the state's poorest kids.

But committees in both the Senate and the Assembly have placed a condition on that money. It would be available only if the State Board of Education in effect lost its ability to grant charters to high-quality organizations.

If that condition stays in the law, Schwarzenegger will have an ugly choice. He can finally provide substantial rent assistance to as many as 150 charter schools that urgently need it. Or he can veto the provision and preserve the state board's approval power, which would lead to the growth of some of the state's best charters.

This dilemma is part of a cynical ploy by politicians who want to kill charters without taking the blame for doing it. And sneaking through changes to charter law in a budget trailer bill represents the worst of backroom dealing.

The state charter option is for a limited number of very successful charter organizations that want to locate in more than one district -- or who face anti-charter school boards in their districts.

Under the bill, the state board still could grant a charter, but only for three years. After that, the charter would revert to the local district, which could bushwhack the operation. It's hard to imagine any charter school applying to the state under those circumstances.

The state's legislative leaders ought to drop the threat to state-issued charters from the budget bill. If they don't, children badly in need of a better start in life will be the ones to suffer.