Charter School Partners

A couple of interesting articles in today’s press.

This morning’s Pioneer Press’ balanced editorial Keeping Cool on Charter Schools does a nice job of putting the recent sensationalist headlines about charter schools from the cross-town rival in perspective.

Also, a new report from the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (click this link to access full report) released today ranked  Minnesota the most charter friendly state in the nation (see article).   Again, despite Minnesota’s challenges, we have an excellent environment that will allow us to take the next step in the evolution of the charter movement — replicating successful, high achieving charter schools that will help us close one of the nation’s largest achievement gaps.

After a recent flurry of negative headlines regarding charter schools, charter advocate Joe Nathan, who directs Macalester College’s Center for School Change, helps puts things in perspective with his Sunday, January 10th Minneapolis Star Tribune Op-Ed that states “chartering has helped individualize, innovate and improve public education.”

Joe’s piece includes the following:

Charter schools have introduced innovations such as the state’s first Chinese immersion public school, the state’s first public secondary Montessori school, an arts high school which shares a downtown performing arts center, and several schools where special needs students have reached unprecedented levels of success.

Charters have also spurred change within districts, such as new schools which mirror proposed charters; all-day kindergartens; and “site-governed” schools. Strong oversight has played a role: about 30 of Minnesota’s charters have been closed. Charter enrollment in Minnesota has tripled in the last seven years. Three of Minnesota’s six best public high schools in the Twin Cities, according to U.S. News & World Report, were charters. Six of 10 public schools described as “Beating the Odds” by the Star Tribune, with more than 80% low-income students, were charters.

Congratulations to Woodbury’s Math & Science Academy, a Woodbury charter school, who is among six public schools in Minnesota (314 nationwide) named 2009 Blue Ribbon Schools by the U.S. Department of Education.  In fact, Math & Science Academy is only one of nine charter schools nationally to receive the award.  The award recognizes schools for helping students achieve at high levels and for making significant progress in closing the achievement gap. The NCLB Blue Ribbon Schools award is given to schools posting a superior academic record or demonstrating significant student achievement gains. Read Minnesota Department of Educations news release.