Publications

Chartering Is Succeeding, Even as Some Chartered Schools Fail

Memo • January 2005

Usually when you hear about ‘charter schools’ people are talking about the schools themselves. But ‘charter schools’ also means the strategy of chartering, the state’s creation of an ‘open sector’ in public education. This is less visible. But the state’s opening-up of K-12 is more important than the schools.

Education Finance: More money or different spending choices?

Report • January 2005

In policy debate the discussion about money is often about ‘how much?’ The conclusion is almost always: ‘Not enough!’ This report looks inside schools and districts at differences in how money is actually spent. It suggests that the size of school and district, the governance arrangement and the degree to which teachers are involved in decision-making influence the allocation of revenue to instruction.

The Emergence of an ‘Open Sector’ in Urban Education

Memo • January 2005

The “Open Sector” is a reality, as new public schools appear outside the traditional district framework. In a few places districts themselves are proactively creating new independent public schools—in competition with the schools they own and directly run. This policy brief rounds up “Open Sector” activity in 17 major urban communities across the country.

The professional-partnership model is a conceivable model, for organizing school and teaching

Memo • January 2005

In thinking about teachers and teaching, for example, it might be well to be cautious about assuming the traditional role of teacher-as-employee. Forever, true, the teacher has been an employee. In private education as in public education, the rule was absolute: If you wanted to be a teacher you had to be an employee. Early signs now suggest this might be changing.

Minnesota Students Describe Their Chartered School Experiences

Memo • December 2004

At the Charter School Student Summit held in St. Paul in December 2004, students discussed, in small groups, their experiences attending Minnesota chartered schools. This document summarizes their discussions.

Trend Accelerating Toward an ‘Open Sector’ in Public Education

Memo • November 2004

A policy brief providing an update on the current status of chartered schools and charter-ing in Minnesota. Includes the latest statistics on the charters that are operating in the 2004-2005 school year, information on the most recent round of charter approvals, an update on Minnesota’s growing cadre of sponsors and more.

Creating the Capacity for Change

Book • August 2004

Ted Kolderie’s book expands the ‘theory of action’ for state policy leadership. It explains why governors’ and legislatures’ efforts to open a new-schools sector is imperative for public education, to enable it to do the job it has now been given to do.

A Model RFP: Second Generation Evaluations of Chartered Schools and Chartering

Report • April 2004

Traditional “charter” evaluation is focusing on the wrong questions. To know “what’s working” researchers must focus on the institutional innovation of chartering rather than trying to generalize about the very diverse collection of schools. This RFP is designed to elicit recommendations on ways to strengthen chartered schools and to improve the state’s overall policy framework for chartering.

Freeing Teachers: The Promise of Teacher Professional Partnerships

Article • April 2004

In the April 2004 American Experiment Quarterly, Ted Kolderie wrote that virtually all of our discussion about improving teaching occurs within the traditional assumption that teachers are employees managed by administrators, rather than professionals in control of their work. Current efforts to train teachers, to improve teacher practice, to recruit teachers, to retain teachers and to change the way in which teachers are compensated need not take place within this boss/worker, master/servant framework.

Facilities Financing: New Models for Districts that are Creating Schools New

Report • January 2004

Many of the reforms school districts are undertaking involve a significant facilities component. As districts pursue strategies such as opening new schools, breaking up large schools, and renovating buildings, they often incur substantial bricks-and-mortar expenses. This report outlines promising ways to meet their facilities needs.

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