David Seymour invites Barack Obama to visit a New Zealand charter school

ACT leader David Seymour has written a letter to former US President Barack Obama asking him to save New Zealand's charter schools.

The Ministry of Education is currently negotiating with the 11 charter schools set up during the previous government's term to see whether they can be brought into the public system or close.

Now, in a bid to save the charter schools system, Mr Seymour - a key proponent of the model - has written an official letter to Mr Obama asking him to visit one of the schools during a reported upcoming visit.

"New Zealand can learn from the US charter school experience ... Charter schools were a fundamental part of President Obama's education reforms," Mr Seymour said.

"[He] didn't approach charter schools as a left-right issue. He knew that a child's education was far more important than ideological purity and kowtowing to vocal interest groups."

In 2012, Mr Obama called charter schools "incubators of innovation".

He is believed to be making his first visit to New Zealand in the next few months as part of a deal with Air New Zealand.

Former prime minister Sir John Key is on the airline's board and struck up a friendship with Mr Obama while they were both in office.

Mr Seymour's letter makes clear he was part of the "John Key administration" that brought in charter schools.

Comment has been requested from Mr Obama's office.