Charter schools: One tool for innovation

Teaching Pre K-8, Jan 1996 by Riley, Richard W

Last fall, the U.S. Department of Education gave 10 states more than $5 million to support the development of charter schools. These schools have been called one very promising idea to emerge from the school reform movement of the past decade.

Charter schools are public schools under contract with a public agency that are governed by a team of teachers and parents dedicated to establishing and managing a new kind of public school. They are a way to make public schools more creative, flexible and responsive to the needs of students and parents.

The idea of a state legislature freeing up teachers who wanted to establish -- along with parents -- an option in our public schools began in California in 1985. But the idea really gained momentum when Albert Shanker of the AFT spoke about charter schools in Minnesota in 1989. Two years later, eight charter schools were authorized in that state. Last year, Minnesota authorized up to 35 charter schools; they now have 17 in operation.

Helpful legislation. Minnesota's charter school legislation focused on increasing student achievement and graduation rates, and encouraging school districts to improve their education programs. The legislation stressed accountability for results and gave educators new opportunities to create the kinds of schools that would best help their students learn.

Since Minnesota launched City Academy, its first charter school, the charter school concept has caught on. Across the country now, more than 200 charters have been granted. Under many states' charter school laws, the teacher-parent team is given greater control over their school's budget, staffing, teaching methods and curriculum. And the schools are not subject to many regulations and restrictions of state and local school boards, although they do have to comply with civil rights, desegregation and special education laws, and health and safety concerns.

President Clinton and I have long supported the idea of providing more choices for parents, students and teachers within the public school system. That is why the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act last year provided financial assistance for the design, start-up and evaluation of charter schools. Several states, including Massachusetts and Michigan, already are using Goals 2000: Educate America Act funds to support their charter schools. And I am using my broad waiver authority as U.S. Secretary of Education to give states maximum flexibility to use their federal finds to help all schools, including charter schools, cut "red tape."

Promising results. Already, charter schools can show some promising results. Vaughn Elementary School, one of California's first charter schools, used to be one of the lowest-achieving schools in the Los Angeles district. After two years of intensive focus on academic restructuring and family involvement, test scores are up dramatically, the bilingual program has accelerated the pace of students learning English, and the school's attendance is the best in Los Angeles.

The Cedar-Riverside Charter School was created in 1993 in a low-income housing project in Minneapolis. Involving the parents -- 90 percent of whom are on public assistance -- in their children's education has been a primary goal of the school. Parental involvement has increased dramatically in the K-9 school.

And in Parker, Colorado, the Core Knowledge Charter School was founded in 1994 by local parents who wanted their children to have a rigorous curriculum emphasizing both the classics and the basics of writing, spelling and grammar. Discipline is the key to student success, and parents receive a weekly progress report describing their child's academic performance and behavior.

Research publications. Just recently, a four-year research and dissemination project on charter schools was funded by the U.S. Department of Education. If you are interested in the early progress and lessons of charter schools, you can request two nominally priced publications from the University of Minnesota -- A Brief History and Preliminary Lessons of Charter Schools and Summary of 110 Charter Schools in Seven States -- by calling (612) 626-1834.

Charter schools offer both parents and educators the opportunity to tailor a school to the needs of its students and the community. They also require parents and teachers to have a real stake in the school's success.

While it is still too early to foretell the long-term results of charter schools, if these promising early endeavors are any indication, many students may benefit.