Journal of a Black Teacher

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

By Don Allen, Ed.S., M.A. Ed., MAT Within the heart of the Twin Cities, Minneapolis and St. Paul Public Schools remain bastions of education, grounds for changing the lives of thousands of students yearly. Still, in their halls and classrooms, there resides a looming, daunting question: What is the plan for teaching Black Twin Cities high schoolers? While the question does not simply point to academic performance indicators or graduation rates, it goes to the core of educational equity and social justice. The academic success of Black students has had systemic barriers placed in its way. Together with resource and funding discrepancies and biases in disciplinarian practices, the path to education in Minneapolis and St. Paul for Black students has not been made smooth. One really important issue that needs critical attention is the process of credit recovery. Sometimes considered a last-ditch effort in the case of students failing in their academics, credit recovery programs were suppos

By Don Allen - Journal of A Black Teacher (Editorial Opinion) Charter schools have been a beacon of hope for education reform for over a decade, particularly in urban areas like the Twin Cities. They promised innovation, higher achievement, and an alternative to the failing traditional public school system. However, a hard look at the data, especially for those schools underperforming for over three years, reveals a starkly different reality. These institutions, particularly those serving predominantly students of color who are at risk, have not only failed to deliver on their promises but have also exacerbated educational inequities. It is time to acknowledge these failures and take decisive action: close the chronically underperforming charter schools. The Alarming Statistics In the Twin Cities, many charter schools have students who consistently perform in the bottom deciles of academic achievement. Particularly troubling is the performance of third and fourth graders, who primarily

I've learned you cannot fix everything, and some things do not want to be fixed because they make money for mediocre results (there can never be rich people without poor people). By Don Allen, Senior Columnist for the Postmodernist Practicum, rejecting the search for broad generalizations when we know we need to look into the blindspots.    I’ve read insightful articles this week from some of Minnesota’s premier thinkers and nuanced leaders about education this week. The article by Dr. David Schultz, “Minnesota is an educational leader in racial inequality” (2024) https://www.startribune.com/minnesota-is-an.../600373971/ - and Brother Khalique Rogers & Dr. Joe Nathan’s piece, “ Counterpoint: A nuanced view of what will reduce educational inequities ” (2024) https://www.startribune.com/counterpoint-a.../600374190/ bring to light from two point-of-views what many of us are concerned with, Black learning organizational excellence in a time of unprecedented mediocrity. Both artic

  Despite the best intentions, resources are sometimes directed toward initiatives that yield lackluster results or fail to address the root causes of crime. It's time for a paradigm shift – a reevaluation of how the Twin Cities invests in ‘community shirts’ to ensure that every dollar spent translates into tangible benefits for the plan of actually reducing crime - the band-aids are all used up. It’s time to turn to charter schools and after-school academic programs for parents and their children. Related Story :  Minneapolis commissioner addresses fraud accusations in safety initiative.   By Don Allen, Ed.S., M.A. Ed., MAT        It's a pressing question - what happens when a plan fails? And what if that same plan, despite being reoriented, fails again? In recent years, the allocation of city funding to various groups and organizations, especially in the street protector sector, has come under intense scrutiny. While the intentions behind these funding initiatives are commend

For some African American-run charter schools, the mission of a learning organization is sometimes an in-depth lesson in school site survival (teacher shortages, payroll, leadership changes, founders syndrome, community branding, internal organizational communication, and cultures inside of workgroups resisting change); resources are available, but to use the resources, we need to have resources. As I move forward in my mission to share educational strategies for charter schools, I am documenting instructional practices in leadership to assist our K-8 scholars in middle schools break into the 70 proficiency mark, shortly thereafter, 90 to 100 with Gifted and Talented scholars fully identified and immersed on multiple levels. The theory is great - but practice, failures, and new beginnings make for rising to perfect (almost). By Don Allen, M.A. Ed./MAT Charter schools have emerged as a viable alternative to traditional public schools, offering innovative approaches to education and pro

 “There are no hard distinctions between what is real and what is unreal, nor between what is true and what is false. A thing is not necessarily either true or false; it can be both true and false.”  ~ Harold Pinter This is part one in an eight (maybe 10) part series on Twin Cities charter schools, human capital, organizational communication, problem-solving, and nuanced leadership to assist me in answering my dissertation question, “Why are Twin Cities charter schools failing Black Students? Is it a characteristic of charter schools in general, or is it something about how these particular Twin Cities charter schools are being run?” Photo: RAT.  By Don Allen - Editorial Opinion (Sunday, November 5, 2023 | Written for The Independent Business News Network-IBNN)      For anyone who knows me you know I enjoy looking into the blind spots. I have found in these blind spots a place to look at how school systems can coexist to achieve the maximum daily growth for students, parents, teachers,

“With gratitude, optimism is sustainable. If you can find something to be grateful for then you will find something to look forward to - and you carry on. ” ~Michael J. Fox  By Don Allen, M.A. Ed./MAT      While only a few Twin Cities public schools try to educate our children, charter schools have high potential advantages for our Black, Hispanic, Native American, and Asian children; it's essential to recognize that charter schools vary widely in their approaches, quality, and outcomes. It's crucial for parents to thoroughly research and visit specific charter schools to assess their academic performance, teaching methods, student support services, and overall fit for their child's needs and aspirations. Parents should consider all available options and make an informed decision based on what they believe is best for their child's education and well-being.      In recent years, charter schools have become a popular alternative to traditional public schools. These schoo