Minnesota's Charters Law Rank #1 in the Country

Joe Nathan: Proving strong options through the state, Minnesota’s charter law ranked #1

By Joe Nathan on January 30, 2013 at 11:52 am

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Joe Nathan Column – Minnesota educators, students, parents and policy-makers received another honor last week: the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools ranked our state’s charter law as number one in the country.


Minnesota educators, students, parents and policy-makers received another honor last week: the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools ranked our state’s charter law as number one in the country. Thanks to a strong law, suburban and rural, as well as urban Minnesota families have high quality options, including district and charter schools.
Most Minnesota families continue using district public schools. But research by our Center found that over the last decade, the number of Minnesota students enrolled in charters increased by almost 30,000, while the number of students attending district schools declined by more than 40,000 students.

Whether their preference is a Montessori elementary, or junior-senior high, a classical academy that teaches Latin, an arts-focused high school, a project based school promoting “hands-on” learning, Chinese immersion, or an on-line school, Minnesota’s charter law has helped create new options for families throughout the state.

Gov. Mark Dayton and Education Commissioner Brenda Cassellius have wisely recommended that district and charters spend more time learning from each other, and less time debating which is better, district or charter public schools. Both kinds of public schools vary widely. Here are examples of what Minnesota’s charter law has helped produce:

Lakes International in Forest Lake has been cited as a “Reward” school by the Minnesota Department of Education. That means it’s among Minnesota’s highest performing public schools serving some low as well as middle-income families.

Cam Hedland, director of Lakes International, wrote, “While being ranked No. 1 is a fine accomplishment for our state, we echo the sentiments of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, the organization conducting the study, that equitable funding is not available for facilities and capital funding, even here in Minnesota. Equitable funding for students is still an issue in this state as well.”

The Forest Lake School District has just received an award from the University of Minnesota Humphrey School for its collaboration with Lakes International

Tracy Quarnstrom directs Trio-Wolf Creek Charter based in Chisago Lakes. This is one of several “on-line” charters that are available to Minnesota families. She told me that the number one ranking “shows the commitment of many in the charter school arena over the past 20 years to make Minnesota a state where charter schools thrive. The collaboration between educators and lawmakers should be a model to be followed in other educational topics presented at the capital this session. All involved in this movement should be proud of their efforts…”
Minnesota New Country in Henderson offers a “project-based” hand on approach that attracts 7th-12th graders from more than 30 miles.

Eagle Ridge Academy, a K-12 charter in Eden Prairie provides a “classical” education for families, as well as a single building to which families can send all their children, if they choose to do so.
Partnership Academy in Richfield works with mostly Spanish-speaking students and families, in a smaller setting than area public schools.

Minnesota is learning that district and charter public schools, like colleges and universities, can simultaneously compete and cooperate. It’s not one or the other. It can be both. Our Center runs several programs in which district and charter leaders and teachers are learning with and from each other.

While “pleased” that Minnesota is ranked number one, Al Fan, director of the Minnesota based Charter School Partners commented, “We must do a better job of utilizing the charter model to create great schools for all Minnesota kids.”

Eugene Piccolo, executive director of the Minnesota Association of Charter Schools believes “Our law is a dynamic document that we work to refine as the charter school movement evolves, and strives to achieve the purposes and goals of public charter schools.”
His organization provides a list and map, plus other informati
on about charters at http://www.mncharterschools.org/directories/

Joe Nathan, formerly a Minnesota public school teacher, directs the Center for School Change. Reactions welcome, joe@centerforschoolchange.org


Source: http://hometownsource.com/2013/01/30/joe-nathan-proving-strong-options-through-the-state-minnesotas-charter-law-ranked-1/

Online High School Supports Toys For Tots

Wolf Creek Online High School continues the Toys for Tots tradition by being a drop site for the 2012 Holiday Season. 

The toy drive began on November 6^th and lasted through December 6^th.  In years past a Wolf Creek spokesperson made an appearance on the KARE 11 evening newscast to announce the good deeds of the Wolf Creek students, staff and surrounding community.  However this year, due to the early December snowstorm and staff professional development, we were not able to make the trip down to the KARE 11 Studio.  “We were a little disappointed that it did not work out this year, but the disappointment abated when the toys continued to come in even though we were not going to be on the news,” explained one of the toy drive coordinators Lindsay Jarombek.  In all, Wolf Creek had their most successful donation year with almost 50 toys donated.  “For a small school, 50 toys is a wonderful turnout,” said Jessie DeCorsey another drive coordinator.  With many students working entirely online and at a distance, physical on-campus donation can be challenging.    Wolf Creek Learning Managers encouraged students at a distance to donate to their local charities if they were not able to get a toy to the campus location.  The great distances of students and families makes these activities somewhat problematic, but it is a problem we are working to solve.  In the past, Wolf Creek has also participated in various online donations in an effort to insure all students have equal ability to participate. “We are always excited about opportunities to give to children and teens in need throughout the school year and the world,” expressed Wolf Creek Learning Manager Becki Olseen.    In previous years, students have been pivotal in the choice of charity and the means to donate.  “Penny wars are popular.  This is a money campaign where groups of students compete against each other, with the donation of coins.  Pennies are positive points, and any silver coin is negative,” Olseen further explained.  Wolf Creek hopes to continue with the same charitable traditions and inspire students to become lifelong givers.