2007-2008 Enrollment and Demographic Trends for MN Charter and District Public Schools - Center for School Change at Macalester College

Cygnus Academy in Anoka, North Lakes Academy in Forest Lake, High School for Recording Arts in St. Paul, KIPP in Minneapolis, and Harbor City in Duluth are part of a fascinating little noticed trend in Minnesota public education. It's true in suburban, rural and urban areas: Thousands of families are shifting their youngsters from district to charter public school schools. In the last decade, the number of students attending Minnesota's district public schools has dropped by more than 50,000 students, while the number attending charter public schools has increased by more than 23,000.

Ten years ago, 847,339 students attended Minnesota district public schools, k-12, while only 4915 students attended charter public schools. Last year, the charter enrollment had climbed to 28,026, while district enrollment was 796,757.

These figures are based on an analysis done by Center for School Change staff Sheena Thao and Joanna Plotz of October 1 enrollment figures that public schools submit to the Minnesota Department of Education.

Unquestionably, the vast majority of students are still in district public schools.
However, there is a strong, continuing trend over the last decade. Last year, there was a record increase of more than 4,000 students attending Minnesota charter public schools. Meanwhile district enrollment k-12 declined by more than 7,500 students.
Some people have called me, and the Center for School Change, where I work, “charter boosters.” I respectfully disagree

Many reports on our website (www.centerforschoolchange.org) describe outstanding district or charter public schools. I’m trying to promote better public education, and recognize that there are terrific, average and mediocre district and charter public schools. We should be learning more from the best public schools.

What’s to learn from the best charter public schools? Why are so many families shifting youngsters from district to charter? From surveys and interviews with parents and students, I hear 4 major things:

• Small size – many families really like a small school environment
• More individualized, personalized program
• Special features of a particular charter – whether it is a Montessori curriculum, project based, language immersion such as German or Chinese, arts focus, etc.
• Great respect and collaboration between families and faculty

Charter critics have made some good points. Some charter educators have not made good use of their money. We need to clarify the responsibilities of the Minnesota Department of Education and sponsors, organizations that supervise these schools.

Charters enroll a much higher percentage of low income, limited English speaking and minority students than do regular district public schools. (Last year, 54% of Minnesota charter students were from low income families, compared to 31% of district students; 215 of charter students did not speak English at home, compared to 7% statewide, and 54% of Minnesota charter students were minority, compared to 23% statewide). While some charters serving low income students have done a marvelous job of improving achievement, others have not. So they, as well as district public schools, need to learn more from the best.

Many families are looking carefully at their educational options. And thanks to pioneering Minnesota laws like open enrollment, Post Secondary Options and charters, Minnesota families have more strong choices for their children’s education, or their children’s education.

Joe Nathan, a former public school teacher and administrator, directs the Center for School Change, Humphrey Institute, University of Minnesota This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

View a copy of CSC's analysis on enrollment and demographic trends in Minnesota charter and district public schools.

Enrollment in Minnesota charter schools rose by more than 4,000 students in 2007-08, the largest annual increase since charters began in 1992.

And for the first time, there are more charter schools and charter students in the suburbs than in either Minneapolis or St. Paul.

Those are among the findings in a report released Thursday by the Center for School Change at the University of Minnesota.

Center director Joe Nathan said there are several reasons for charters' rising popularity. "I think that a number of parents feel that smaller schools are safer schools and their kids are getting more individualized attention," he said. Also, "there's a very distinctive program in some of the charters that's attracting people."

Charters are public, tuition-free schools that operate independently — and often compete with — the traditional school districts in which they are located. They are often smaller than district schools and offer a particular academic focus — Chinese language immersion, for example, or performing arts.

Since 2001-02, enrollment in traditional district schools has declined in Minnesota from 831,535 to 796,757. During the same years, charter school enrollment increased from 10,162 to 28,026, the study found.

There were 27 charter schools in St. Paul in 2007-08 and 31 in Minneapolis. For the first time, the number of charter schools in metro-area suburbs — 32 — surpassed that of either core city. Total enrollment in these suburban charter schools was 7,791 students, the center calculated, more than in either Minneapolis or St. Paul.

In Minneapolis and across the state, charter schools also enrolled a higher percentage of low-income, English Language Learner and minority students than traditional school districts, the study found. That was not the case in St. Paul, in part because of the high number of suburban students attending St. Paul charters, Nathan said.

Minnesota had 143 charter schools in 2007-08. Another dozen are expected to open this fall. Nationwide, more than 1.2 million students attended 4,303 charter schools in 2007-08, according to the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools.

Doug Belden can be reached at 651-228-5136.

On The Web

The charter school report can be found at centerforschoolchange.org.

Charter Growth

K-12 public school enrollment in Minnesota

2006-07 2007-08

Statewide

District 804,557 796,757

Charters 23,689 28,026

St. Paul

District 40,034 39,050

Charters 5,578 6,137

Minneapolis

District 36,337 34,314

Charters 6,460 7,755

Source: Center for School Change, University of Minnesota

At a time when overall Minnesota school enrollment is declining, enrollment in charter schools in the state soared by a record number last year, according to a study released Thursday.

The study, conducted by the Center for School Change at the University of Minnesota's Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs, found that the number of students attending charter schools rose by 4,337 during the 2007-08 school year. That marks the biggest enrollment increase since 1991-92, when the charter school option was first made available to Minnesota students and parents.

Total enrollment for charter schools stands at 28,206. That's almost three times the enrollment in the 2001-02 school year. The total public school enrollment last year in Minnesota was 796,757, a number that has been declining for several years.

"We knew that many families were selecting charters, but were surprised to learn that there was a record increase last year," said Joe Nathan, one of the report's authors, and a charter school booster.

The number of Minnesota charter schools has increased from two in 1992-93 to 143 last year, according to the study. Charter schools are public schools that are set up with particular types of students or learning emphases in mind. They are allowed more flexibility in how they operate than typical public schools.

Nathan cited several reasons he thinks have fueled the spike in charter school enrollment.

"First, small size of the schools," he said. "Secondly, safer schools. Third, distinctive programs, whether they're language immersion ... the arts, things like that. Fourth, there's a feeling of great respect from teachers to parents and from teachers to students."

The study also found that more than half of the students in Minnesota's charter schools are racial minorities. More than half also are low-income students.

Norman Draper • 612-673-4547