Rural Charter Schools work!

This story from Oregon gives lots of hope for those in small communities in Maine that may, or in some cases already have, seen their schools close.

"With dwindling enrollment and a state funding crisis, Hughes told community members the 130-student K-12 school -- split between two buildings -- would likely have to close its doors within two to three years. Now, nearly three years later, Elkton has new computers, new curriculum and materials and nearly 80 new students.

What changed? Elkton became a charter school."

Throughout the Portland metropolitan area, school districts have cut school days, eliminated teaching positions and programs to cope with declines in state revenue and federal support. In rural areas, though, a similar decline in revenue can completely wipe out a district's transportation staff, counselor and math and science teachers.

Oregon's charter school law, intended to be an avenue of innovation, prevents districts from turning all their schools into charters. But if the district has only one K-12 school, state law provides an exception.

And with the charter school designation comes access to $500,000 federal grants and fewer state requirements. It's a little-used clause in the charter school law, but becoming more common. The number of Oregon districts making the switch has more than doubled to 12 since 2008. Three single-school districts have alerted the Oregon Department of Education they intend to apply for 2011 federal charter school grants."

The article goes on to explain some of the reasons why moving to charter status helped the public survive - first, and foremost, it provided a structure that enabled innovation - and, because the school was not sustainable using old economic and teaching models, the innovation that resulted forced new assumptions about teaching and learning. That, in turn, produced a natural resources based approach that is much more relevant to the rural economy and the lives of the young people there. And that, in turn, made it so MORE families wanted to send their kids to.

The transformation was not without challenge. "The idea got a chilly reception.
People weren't familiar with charter schools and feared he'd make kids wear uniforms, get rid of licensed teachers or change the school into a religious academy." Lack of understanding of what public charters are and how they work is ALWAYS an obstacle. "Increased enrollment increases state funding. But, as these districts become charters to ensure their own survival, it has created tense relationships with neighbors...One superintendent said he was appalled and offended by Hughes' action." We'll the same things happen in Maine, as superintendents who are early adopters are criticized by those who threat rather than opportunity.

And the article brings up at least one concern that think needs to be addressed in the draft law that Maine Association of Charter Schools is working on: "Oregon's charter school law, intended to be an avenue of innovation, prevents districts from turning all their schools into charters. But if the district has only one K-12 school, state law provides an exception." While unlikely, there are provisions that could enable districts to declare their existing schools charters without doing much innovation. Those are the kinds of issues that we can work out in the authorizing legislation.

But the kernel of this story is one that I hope Maine's rural educators and policy makers pay attention to: the loss of small town schools is NOT inevitable - IF those schools produce QUALITY opportunities and results that are relevant to the kids and families on those towns. In fact, a charter law may enable those towns to create schools that keep existing families in town and draw new families...something that, without the innovation that a charter law both enables and compels, will be very difficult to accomplish.