North Carolina Scores an "F" in Innovation?

In a letter dated August 27, 2009 North Carolina officially declared public charter schools an insignificant engine for innovating and improving public education.

The Governor, the State Superintendent, the Chair of the State Board of Education, the President of the NC PTA, the President of the North Carolina Association of Educators, the Executive Director of the NC Association of School Administration and the Executive Director of the NC School Boards Association, jointly signed a letter to Arne Duncan, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education, making the case why North Carolina's 13 year old cap on the number of charter schools should not be factored into North Carolina's application for "Race to the Top" funds.

It is an extraordinary measure for the top levels of State government to feel compelled to so deliberately resist change to the charter school cap.

They tout other programs for innovation but for some reason seem to think that the legs have to be cut out from under the charter school movement.

Innovation does not mean just experimenting with new concepts and programs, it mean looking at what works and replicating success.

North Carolina Innovation. . .FAIL!

The obvious example of charter school success in North Carolina that actually reaches those most in need of quality education is Gaston College Preparatory (http://kippgaston.org) a KIPP School in Gaston, North Carolina.

With over 75% of its students qualifying for free and reduced lunch AND performing at a level comparable to any other school in the state, KIPP GCP and KIPP North Carolina have a model whose biggest obstacle is North Carolina's cap of 100 charter schools.

North Carolina Innovation. . .FAIL!

What danger are these "leaders" seeing in charter schools that threaten educational innovation in North Carolina?

The leaders explicitly state that one of their programs for a regional biotechnological, argi-science high school creates a a highly specialized model that no one community could likely support.

And this is a good thing?

North Carolina Innovation. . .FAIL!

Why is there not also room for the local community that wants to take charge of their childrens' education and enroll in or even start a local charter school just like Gaston College Prep?

North Carolina has turned its back on its progressive history and traded it in for a misguided notion of innovation.

Sorry North Carolina, looks like you need to repeat your innovation class.