Board Votes to Explore District Sponsored Charter

School choice, open enrollment, charter schools, magnet schools...

There's a whole lot going on in the world of education, but matching the innovation to the needs of the community is not always easy. After many weeks of research into the funding available for a magnet program the ECF board voted on Tuesday night to change its focus to Minnesota's charter school process.

The charter option appears to be a much more viable approach for a school as small as ours, with more secure funding. Representatives from the Foundation plan to approach the ISD 318 school board about district sponsorship.

Some info about charter schools from the Minnesota Association of Charter Schools-

Charter schools are K-12 public schools that provide choice for parents and students within the public school system. Charter schools are:

Operated independently from the school district in which they are located
Incorporated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization or as a teacher cooperative
Staffed by teachers who have appropriate state licensure
Funded primarily by state general education revenue with start-up funding in the first three years provided by the federal government
Located in leased facilities, funded in large measure by lease aid, a state program that provides per pupil funding to compensate for the fact that charter schools cannot own property, levy taxes, or issue bonds
Open to all who apply, except if the school is over-subscribed, in which case a lottery is held for all of the students who applied before the deadline. Once a student is enrolled, siblings are given preference in admission.
Free of charge
Accountable for academic and non-academic outcomes
Sponsored by a school district, an institution of higher learning, a nonprofit organization, or a foundation
Reviewed every three years by the sponsor to determine whether the charter will be renewed
Governed by a board of directors made up of parents, teachers, and community members elected by the school community

For detailed info about starting and running a charter school in Minnesota check out the Minnesota Charter School Resource Center.