WAVE 3 TV Louisville, KY | Grass roots movement for charter schools growing in Kentucky

Grass roots movement for charter schools growing in Kentucky

By Connie Leonard - bio | email
Posted by Charles Gazaway - email

LOUISVILLE, KY (WAVE) - It's the public alternative to education as we know it - charter schools. In early 2010, you will hear more about them as Kentucky lawmakers have filed bills in favor of the education reform. We took a trip to Indianapolis to look at two charter schools that are making the grade. 

When you step inside the Charles A. Tindley Accelerated School in Indianapolis, it's quite a statement.  

"I think probably the most fantastic thing about this, is the impact it has on the 6th and 7th graders," said principal Marcus Robinson about the special entrance. 

The wall of college acceptance letters to schools like DePauw, Furman, Xavier, Smith and Purdue is even more impressive when you consider the class of 2009 comes from one of the toughest neighborhoods in the city. 

"Just a block from us, we have a city block with the most police calls than any other block of Indianapolis," Robinson said. "And so, for our kids, this ambition, this goal, this going to college means everything in terms of being able to get themselves beyond this neighborhood and beyond this community."  

The reason the school building looks like a supermarket is because it was at one time a former Cub Foods that sat vacant for 10 years. 

"There were so many weeds growing through the concrete, it looked like there were tumble weeds in the parking lot," said Robinson. 

That was until a group of community leaders came up with a plan, or charter, for a college prep school. In 2004, the students moved in.  

"I don't have to worry about seeing fights or somebody bringing a gun to school or drugs, I don't have to worry about that here," said Mohagany Lattimore, a senior, said of her school. 

"You have parents who drop you off and you're monitored 24/7," said Jordan Davis, another Tindley student.  

Davis says he doesn't mind that because it makes him feel safe. It's not just a sense of security that is high at Tindley, so are the expectations. 8th graders are already doing high school work. 

"I would never have imagined being this excited about going to college," Davis said of his love for the school.  

"You want to talk about graduation rates?" said Dr. Tony Bennett, Indiana's Superintendent of Public Instruction. "Some of these kids were kids who didn't have hope."  

With test scores above the state average, Tindley is a source of pride for Bennett. It is just one of the Hoosier state's 53 public charter schools and he has no problem with charters competing with his traditional public schools. 

"Our job is to provide opportunities for kids, and if those opportunities are charter schools we're going to support them," said Bennett. 

Kentucky Representative Brad Montell is leading the push to allow charter schools in Kentucky, one of a handful of states where they're banned. According to Montell, with the Race to the Top funding offered by the Obama administration for public school innovation, it doesn't make sense for Kentucky to miss out. 

"It's going to be necessary that Kentucky open up and begin to evaluate where charter schools would fit into what we're doing," said Montell. 

When states like Minnesota developed charter schools about 18 years ago, the idea was to allow much more freedom in curriculum. Most charter school operate in urban neighborhoods and, like Tindley, serve low income and minority students. One charter may focus on college prep while another, like Indy's Christel House Academy, may focus on cultural arts. On the day we visited Christel House, so did the Indianapolis Ballet. Minutes after the performance, the kids were writing essays about it.  

"I felt excited and a laughed a lot, my hands hurt because I clapped so much," read one of the Christel House students from her paper.

"We can better serve these children with a rich set of experiences as opposed to a narrow curricular model," said principal Carey Dahncke said of his school. 

Christel House has an equal mix of low income white, black and Hispanic students. In 2009, ISTEP scores in math and English topped the state average, among peer schools with the same racial makeup, Christel House scores were 25 percent higher. The K thru 8 school is so popular with parents, Dahncke said they are currently constructing a high school wing. 

State funding is on a per pupil basis, but there is no money for transportation or facilities. That is why schools like Christel House had to fundraise for its new addition and Tindley turned up in a recycled grocery store. With examples like these, what's not to like? Jefferson County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Sheldon Berman answered the question.

"There are some very good charter schools, but those are the exceptions," said Berman. 

While in Massachusetts, Berman had experience with charter schools. He and other opponents contend while Tindley and Christel House may be shining stars, the majority of charter schools are simply quick fix diversions. 

"They tend to draw funds away from the public schools compromising the education of all the other children in the public schools and they have not been very effective," Berman said.

Pastor Jerry Stephenson is taking up Montell's cause. He is spearheading a growing grass roots effort to tout the need for education reform. At a recent informational meeting about charter schools, some west Louisville parents told us they would like to see them here in Kentucky. 

"I want my kids to be able to learn like everybody else and I want them to have more attention given to them in the classroom," said Edwina Scott, who has four children in Jefferson County Public Schools.

"Why is it that we can't do this in Jefferson County?" Stephenson asked. 

Stephenson said that after visiting successful charter schools in other states, he wanted to help Kentucky kids who are failing, many of whom he fears may end up behind bars.

"We've had educational initiatives and educational initiatives, educational initiatives and nothing is working," said Stephenson. 

"There are way too many students, 30 to 40 percent statewide, that are falling between the cracks," Montell added. 

But opponents, like teachers unions and Berman, contend the research on charter schools tells a different story. 

"Our concern in general is that charters generally perform worse than the schools they replace," said Brent McKim, president of the Jefferson County Teachers Association.

A 2009 Stanford University study of charter schools in 15 states and the District of Columbia found 83 percent perform no better or worse than comparable public schools. We found similar performance levels in the Hoosier state. So we asked Bennett how do you measure success when many charter schools are performing below the public average.

"Indiana's ruling out growth as a huge measure and currently we do not measure growth, we measure achievement," said Bennett.

Bennett was quick to point out Indiana's charter schools only opened in 2002 and he maintains the growth in test scores has been very good when you consider many of the students began two to three grades behind. 

"They're making small progress?" Stephenson responded. "Hello. There is progress."

Russ Simnick, president of the Indiana Charter Schools Association, says success is also measured in higher graduation rates and specific innovations at each school, like college prep or cultural arts. 

"Charter schools are not the best option for every kid, but they're the perfect option for some kids," said Simnick. 

A former JCPS teacher who now works at Christel House Academy told us he may work longer hours with students, but he also has a greater degree of freedom in curriculum and that's why charter schools are making strides. Still opponents say charters take money and resources away from other public schools and threaten teachers unions.

"All the past years, it's been about ‘well what is the union going think? What is the union going to say?'" Stephenson responded. "It ain't about them any longer, it's about the kids now." 

However, Berman believes charter schools also destroy social progress in education. He says charters tend to target the best students in poor urban neighborhoods which is re-segregating school systems.

"You end up with a far less diverse student body and you also end up with far fewer students who are special needs and far fewer students who are English language learners," said Berman. "That's not what public education is about and that's not what charter schools should be about." 

Berman says JCPS already has the benefits of parental input and innovation of charter schools with site-based decision making councils and the growth of magnet schools. He also says lower salaries and long hours for teachers have led many charter schools instructors back to traditional public schools. 

Copyright 2009 WAVE-TV and Raycom Media. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.