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2/13/2009 12:00 AM
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THIS WEEK Newspaper
"We could use a few good charter schools"
Thursday, 12 February 2009 |
by Larry Werner
Thisweek Newspapers
My youngest son, who is now studying welding at Dunwoody College, owes much to the charter-school movement.
When the mainstream public schools in Lakeville struggled to find a place for him because of his special needs, he was provided transportation by Lakeville schools to the Northfield School of Art and Technology, a marvelous place where he got the attention and hands-on learning he required.
My wife, Ann, and I will forever be grateful to the wonderful teachers, counselors and administrators in Lakeville who worked with Zack and then made it possible for our son to attend ARTech. Our experience with the Northfield school over five years convinced us that the charter-school option should be more available in Dakota County communities. That kind of statement might not be well received by my friends with the school districts that are struggling with budget deficits. Charter schools technically compete for funds with the mainstream schools because per-pupil allotments from the state follow the student to the school of his or her choice.
Charter schools are public schools run by parents and teachers that receive funding from the state to provide education tailored to the needs of students. In addition to being focused on particular interests and needs, they tend to be smaller, providing more personal attention.
But since they technically compete for funds with the mainstream schools, this might not be the perfect time to launch new Dakota County charters. Perhaps once we get to the other side of the current economic difficulties, it might make sense for our school districts to sponsor charters in the spirit of providing more options for students.
I was moved to thinking about charter-school education in Dakota County by recent news reports about the only two charter schools in the county. One story has to do with a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) against TiZA, which serves a predominantly-Muslim student body in Inver Grove Heights, and the other was a small story that Paideia Academy in Apple Valley has received an award for financial management from the state Department of Education.
The TiZA situation has attracted lots of coverage from the Star Tribune and other metro media because the ACLU and other critics say the school is promoting Islam and argue it’s a violation of church-and-state separation for the school to provide time for Muslim prayers at the school.
Joe Nathan, director of the Center for School Change at the University of Minnesota, says he’s visited the school and points out that prayer time is optional and the educational materials used by TiZA do not promote religion. Nathan, who writes a column on education for Thisweek, says TiZA is doing what charters do – tailor the teaching style to what the students need.
Charter schools have also received much negative coverage for financial mismanagement, and that’s why the news about Paideia, a 4-year-old school in the old Apple Valley movie theater, is such good news. Clearly, the visionaries who launch charter schools tend to be better at creating curriculum than at accounting.
There have been some notable failures by Minnesota charters that paid more attention to reading and writing than the ‘rithmetic involved in financing their programs.
Because of that concern the Minnesota Association of Charter Schools is working with the state Legislature to enact reforms that will require more oversight and financial training for the sponsors and boards establishing and running these specialized public schools.
Jill Godtland, director of Paideia Academy, said she’s proud that the parents who founded her school understood the importance of “managing your money and knowing what you can spend.” That is as important as fashioning a curriculum that focuses on the student in a way the large mainstream schools cannot.
Paideia, which gets its name from Greek and Latin words for education or instruction, emphasizes “core knowledge, language and arts,” Godtland said. She chose the school for her son after moving to Minnesota from California because he does better in a smaller environment.
“Every teacher knows every student in the school,” she said.
That was certainly the case with Zack at ARTech. The teachers not only knew him, they were fascinated by his gifts rather than being frustrated by his challenges.
Dakota County is a hotbed for entrepreneurs. Let’s make it a welcoming place for people with entrepreneurial ideas for new charter schools in our communities so Lakeville students don’t have to travel to Northfield, or even Apple Valley, to find what they need.
“It’s the free market,” Godtland said. “It forces schools to step up and do better.”
Larry Werner is editor and general manager of Thisweek Newspapers. He is at
larry.werner@ecm-inc.com.
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