A coalition of Washington education groups has filed a citizen initiative to ask voters to allow 40 public charter schools in the state over the next five years.

The coalition including the League of Education Voters and Stand for Children has until July 6 to collect nearly 250,000 valid voter signatures.

The initiative was filed Tuesday in the Secretary of State's office in Olympia.

A spokesman for the coalition said the groups would use both paid and volunteer signature collectors to meet the July deadline. But first they need to jump a few administrative hoops. It could be several weeks before they will be able to print petition sheets and circulate them.

Washington voters have repeatedly rejected charter school initiatives.