Publications Issue All Student-Centered Learning DesignsEducator Talent PathwaysOutcomes That MatterAutonomy and Shared Power Origins of the Charter Idea Memo • January 2002 A quick summary of the major mileposts in the evolution of the chartering laws. Can the National Government Be Effective? Lessons From Urban Development Memo • January 2001 K-12 education exists in state law. It cannot be reached directly by Congressional or the President. Typically, in such policy areas, the national government tries to ‘do things’ by tying requirements to its grants-in-aid. This approach has failed in the past, as in the 1960s when the national government tried to take control of urban development. Chelsea Clinton and the D.C. Schools Memo • January 2001 In response to the Washington Post’s question about problems in DC this small memo asked: If the local school district is not performing why don’t DC residents ask Congress to “get somebody else who will?” In 1993 the suggestion was flatly dismissed. Three years later Congress created a second ‘board of education’ for DC. Mother Teresa As a Charter School Memo • January 2001 Institutions other than public education have found it useful not to let the mission depend on just a single organization. Historically the Catholic Church has been one of these. There is the hierarchy, but there are also the orders. A Viable High School in a Small Rural District Memo • January 2001 Nontraditional forms of school do exist that are economically and educationally viable at the scale of 120 students. This has huge implications for rural America’s sparsely-settled areas. The trick is to think differently about teaching and learning. An article in the magazine of the superintendents’ association in Minnesota. School Boards and Teachers Have Choices, Too Memo • January 2001 In K-12 policy discussions, “choice” usually implies family choice. But school boards and teachers have options, too. Boards can choose to authorize chartered schools, which may be easier than trying to change their existing schools. And, teachers can choose to form teacher professional partnerships in their schools. The Valley Crossing School as a Precedent for Contracting Memo • April 1999 Three local districts in Minnesota’s metropolitan suburbs share an elementary school didn’t build, don’t own and don’t themselves staff. The Valley Crossing school is a kind of virtual organization; a fascinating case in the use of contracts. Restructuring Our High Schools for the 21st Century: Creating ‘Grade 11-13’ Schools Memo • September 1998 Currently, students are held until 12th grade even if they can move faster. The Minnesota Post-secondary Enrollment Options Program (PSEO) showed that bright high school students can do well with college-level work. The Grade 11-13 model goes even further, restructuring both high school and the first year of college, un-duplicating the curriculum. Essentials of the Charter School Strategy Memo • June 1994 A quick summary of the essentials of the charter idea, written in 1994, is still basically applicable today. It’s a Revenue Game Memo • January 1992 Districts are unable to control their costs, Minnesota superintendents concede. This helps explain a central notion in K-12, that all budget problems are to be solved on the revenue side. Post navigation ← Previous 1 2 3 4 5 Next → Stay In Touch Get updates, new publications, fresh analysis, and event invitations in your inbox. First Name Last Name Email Address State What do you want to receive? Monthly newsletter (once per month) Blog posts by email (about two per month) See past newsletters in the archive.