There is a movement in the Legislature this session to stop the growth of Charter Schools in Minnesota.
Charter Schools are a different form of Public School. Under current law, a majority of the School Board for Charter schools must be teachers. Charter schools are “outcome based” schools. The schools are “sponsored”, and sign 3 year contracts to meet educational goals. Many of the normal school mandates are waived for Charter schools.
I have a number of Charter Schools in my Senate District including, the New Country School in Henderson, the Nerstrand Community School and Green Isle Community School, and ArTech, and Prairie Creek School in Northfield.
This year, the Senate Education bill (SF 2095, at Art.2, Sec. 14) includes a “cap” on the number of Charter Schools. The maximum number would be set at 150 schools. The bill also reduces Charter school startup aid and lease aid.
I recall voting in favor of the first Charter school law back in 1992, when I was a member of the Senate Education committee. Both teacher unions strongly opposed the creation of Charter schools, but the bill passed by one vote. I have supported Charter Schools (and the broader school choice movement) ever since. This year I sponsored a bill which would have given charter school students the right to participate in extra-curicular activities in their home district. My bill failed on a mostly party-line vote.
Public Education needs to be redefined. I have always believed that parents should be able to choose the school which is best for their child. Unfortunately, many families don’t have the money to pay tuition at a private school. So, these students are must attend public schools which don’t serve their needs.
I believe that it is in the Public interest to provide the best education possible for each child, whether that education is in a regular public school, Charter school, home school, private religious school, or another public school chosen through open enrollment or post-secondary enrollment option.
Every student learns differently. Some students need special education or sign language. Alternative learning centers allow some students to get their high school degree during irregular hours. Some of our gifted and talented students are also being shortchanged because regular public schools are not challenging enough for them. I believe that our public system should allow choices for all of these students.
Minnesota’s public school policy is controlled by what is affectionately called the “school cartel”. Politically, the most influential group is Minnesota Education, the State’s teachers union. The cartel also includes the Mn. School Boards Assn., the Mn. School Superintendants Assn., the Rural Education Assn. and 8-10 other organizations involved in public education. The “cartel” generally resists any change in education policy which threatens its monopoly on taxpayer funding for education.That’s part of the reason there is such opposition to Charter schools and school choice in general.
In addition, there is strong cultural support for the home town public school. In many towns I represent, the school is the “heart of the town”. Charter schools sometimes divide community loyalties.
Here in Northfield we have wonderful examples school choice at the higher education level. Carleton and St. Olaf colleges receive state money indirectly, through the state grant program, whenever a student chooses to attend. Most would agree that having choices for college is a good thing. Then why not for K-12 schools, and why not allow public dollars to be spent on private schools indirectly, through the choices that parents make for their children?
I hope that the Charter school “cap” does not become law. We need more Charter schools in Minnesota, not less. Some day I hope that tuition tax credits, or school vouchers, allow parents to send their children to private schools as well. Choice does not take money away from regular public schools. Rather, school choice makes schools compete for students. All schools will become better in the process.
Here is an interesting group of writings on School Choice, from the Milton Friedman Foundation, if you are interested in studying the issue further.