Urgent Call to Action: MDE and Authorizers Must Close Underperforming Twin Cities Charter Schools Before New School Year

It's time for parents in the Twin Cities to reevaluate their list of local black charter schools that were initially created to offer quality education and uplift communities. However, they are now facing scrutiny over claims that these schools have shifted their interest from student well-being to financial gain. The concerns have been raised because it is reported that some of these schools may be exploiting the charter system and treating students as revenue generators rather than nurturing learners. This very nature of the commodification of education undercuts charter schools' goals: to be innovative and deliver high-quality education. Parents must demand openness, refocus on student-centered learning, and find ways to break down the walls that isolate charter schools. The real question must be: Are these schools meeting black children's educational needs, or are they capitalizing on them?. By reconsidering these factors, parents can create pressure to institute a system where education is a right and not an enterprise for generating profits and ensure the all-round growth of every child.

Read the draft of the Charter School Sunset Bill (MN) 2025 here.  

By Don Allen, Journal of A Black Teacher 
       Researching Black-run charter schools has been problematizing dominant narratives and embracing complexity. As someone deeply committed to education equity and diversity, viewing such schools from multiple unpopular or controversial vantage points is paramount. An open mind and assumptions were needed to make such an exploration at the beginning. Such engagement with diverse viewpoints has unraveled a multifaceted function of the Black-run charters within our educational system. On the one hand, they are solution havens for culturally responsive pedagogy and community power.

On the other hand, articulated concerns over funding, accountability, and systemic implications do make way for critical critiques. It cements my conviction of the need for critical dialogue and, indeed, some very thoughtful analysis. Finally, it fortifies my commitment to doing research. I will fight for educational spaces that respect, honor, and raise Black voices while striving for equity and justice within our educational systems. I wish Minnesota education spaces would genuinely uphold Black and Brown students in the quest for justice and equity. As an educator-leader, I think about how I can create spaces within which these students can continue to thrive in their academic pursuits and personhood.

I strive to include culturally responsive teaching practices and create the slightest possibilities for inclusive curricula while working to sustain supportive communities. This is where one draws attention to the systems of inequity and advocates for policies that assure diversity. I was driven by the belief that education must empower every student, irrespective of background, to reach their full potential.

     The Twin Cities Black community can see successful charter schools if teaching and learning are at the forefront. Such investment has to be made in the form of high-quality, culturally responsive education. Additionally, it calls for diverse, committed educators who understand and work to attain the unique needs of Black students. Rigorous curricula relevant to and reflective of their identity will engage them in learning and finding success in it. To bring it all together, however, strong community partnerships and engaged parents will ensure them a place at the table in the business of education. Finally, teachers grow professionally to tailor the best practices, providing an enhanced quality of instruction. It would be in working toward empowering and effectual educational experiences for Black students by charter schools focusing on these critical points.