The stories that are put up during the day are put up manually, and then the stories that appear in the paper override the "manual" stories overnight through a semi-automated system, but all stories show up in the archives, IIRC.  Someone who's still there probably has a better handle on how that works.

FYI, Education Minnesota (Teachers Union) and the St. Paul Federation of Teachers are listed as partners of Minnesota 2020. Charter Schools are not affiliated with unions. Charter Schools, by law, must have a majority of the school board be teachers at the school...innovative huh?

WOW! I'm a tool of George Bush? Cool! The reality, mrashley, is that the TQM driven, top heavy institutional edu-factories co-mismanaged through self-perpetuating animosities between EDU-ministrators and pay-the-dues-or-else labor unions, are whats destroying education in America. By NO MEANS am I an advocate of the failed, and un-funded, sham of NCLB. Are you really saying that parents dont know what's best for their own kids? Are you really saying that the only hope for achieving the goals of an informed and educated populace is the status quo? Why are you so threatened? Something to worry about? Got anything better than the party line to give me?  BTW  *smooch*

I was immediately troubled by the lead-in to this story as well; "a progressive think tank has issued a report". Which think tank? Where is it based? What are their affiliations? What are there credentials? 
 The article resembles a Rush Limbaugh story in its factual blandness. It reminded me of Limbaugh's countless rants that begin similarly, "a university recently published a study on female intelligence" (Which turns out to be a one man online driving school in Pago Pago) or "Several scientists have now concluded that Dioxin is a valuable dietary supplement." 
 The worst part for me was reading an article like this about my own son's school, and not getting any info from the article which would assist me in researching the actual facts, as they did not see fit to print or speak any... GRRR! 

*a north dakota paper based in duluth minnesota recently reported a severe decline in subscriptions. no one could be reached for comment.

coming from a draconian public school "system" where there was absolutely no "choice" in where kids went to school, I'm all about exploring nontraditional schooling options for the kids. I went to a school with about 250 other kids...K-12, on the same campus no less. Arts program? HA! Music? Nonexistent. Literature? Yeah right, we're talking about a school district smack in the middle of Texas farm country, populated almost entirely by fundamentalist Christians, so the reading lists were pretty picked over for content. Needless to say, I had to read Atlas Shrugged, Fear and Loathing and Tropic of Cancer on my own.

I look forward to exploring the different options my kids have in education...to me, it's about giving my kids the leg up they need to be able to succeed.

Baci-I'm not threatened by charter schools just because I work for a public school system.

I am well aware that charter schools were moving forward long before NCLB, they just work nicely as another tool to tear down public education.

We are continuing to tear apart what was once one of the world's best education systems.  Charter schools are part of that.  Instead of fixing the problem some of the best, brightest, and most creative parents are leaving public education claiming it doesn't meet their needs.  I'm glad they find what they need in the charter schools for their kids, but this doesn't help the community as a whole.

Does public education need change?  Absolutely, but either change it from within or completey do away with it and go to a private education system.

Sorry mrashley but your argument doesn't convince me--it does help the community as a whole to have our kids learning to think. And charter schools are open to ANYONE in the community, not just to elite people with money--they are public schools.

Changing from within or doing away altogether are not the only two options--that kind of either/or thinking is precisely part of the problem with our educational system. Most problems have nuanced answers that allow for and require multiple responses. Laying down a line that says change it from within or get rid of it accomplishes nothing but line drawing--it doesn't lead to creative social change.

I've got two children and it is my job (with the assistance of society) to raise them to be thoughtful, engaged participants in the society they live within--that means that if the socializing institutions my society has ossified into  do not function adequately, then it is a fine idea for me to put my personal and communitarian efforts into alternatives that serve my children and the larger society better.

I teach at a public university. I work with students who come from all over the spectrum of elementary and high school education--public schools, private schools, charter schools. I repeatedly hear a version of the following from my college students:

"Why didn't we learn these kinds of things in high school--hard, critical things--about the history of this country and the world? Why don't we get to important stuff that is necessary for thinking critically and well about the world around us until we get to college?" 

I think well-managed accountable charter schools (HCIS, for example) are doing excellent work for the community as a whole by helping the children of our community learn these skills sooner rather than later.

I just see charter schools as fullfilling the education for those kids who have motivated parents to get them there.  Harbor attracts arts, East attracts hockey as you imply.  Both are fine in my mind, but what about the middle 90% that are stuck in regular public education?

They are being left behind in public education.  Elitism is still elitism, doesn't matter if it carries a hockey stick or a brush.  There are too many disadvantaged youth in our community and nation who cannot advocate for themselves and get the benefits of a charter school or a higher income public school.  Charter schools are a small band-aid on the gaping wound of education in this country.  It's not going to help enough to make a difference.

You said it yourself, the biggest support for charter schools are among conservatives.  They want this so they have places to indoctrinate ultra conservative values.  It doesn't hurt to let a few liberal charter schools operate, gives them something to rally against in the future.

For the record I am anti-teacher's union and regret the money they take from me every year against my will.  

And I absolutely don't believe ALL parents know what is best for their children.  Some do, many don't.

Maybe in the end I don't understand your side since I don't live in Duluth.  Your district looks like a mess from the outside.

Come on Baci..."The good of the many outweigh the good of the few, or the one."  Get back to being assimilated and help the collective out.

Tim K., "without having to accept every student." is not true, this is one of the myths perpetuated by the anti-charter people. We have no admissions requirements or criteria other than being a resident of the state of Minnesota. We DO have a limit as to how large our student body can be, in the case of our school, the cap is 212 for grades 9-12.

I may be mistaken but, I'm pretty sure the only share of the district tax base we see is related to special education. We cannot levy.

Paul, you are correct, I meant "overcome partisanship".

mrashley, I appreciate the need to work to bring about change in the greater educational picture, that's why I'm an advocate for charter schools. Large districts are entrenched in the bureaucratic status quo and cannot attempt something innovative. Small community based agents of change need to blaze the way. And some will fail, there will be mistakes and there are bad people who take advantage of systems. When a group like MN2020 demonizes the entire charter school movement in MN because of the mistakes and mis-deeds of some it is obviously driven by the agenda of their "progressive" anti-charter constituency. Where is their "study" on financial irregularities of the major school districts? How much waste and graft is associated with the lumbering behemoths?

TK, I see....yes, we get per-pupil $$ from the state of MN. We are district 4085. District 709 tax levies are associated with the local school district.

And for the record, we do not have any easier or more difficult time unloading "violent" students. It's a problem that's the same at every public school, charter schools ARE public schools.

with that guys I'm sure you'll be able to answer for me any questions you may have. I'm pretty sure you all know my stance.

SCHOOLS OUT FOR SUMMER!!

I think this conversation is really interesting and maddening too.   I am a teacher at Washburn Edison Middle School and think we have a fantastic school with a devoted staff!  It bothers me that there is so much criticism of charter schools (which are public schools, I will remind you)especially knowing how much we the teachers care about the kids and how much time and energy is spent making our school a great place for them to be.  We accept all kids and have similar if not more diverse demographic than most of Duluth Public Schools.  Right now I find Matt Entenza's "think tank" really irritating.  He is not trying to enlighten the public but rather trying to find the smallest reasons to make goods schools look bad in the public eye and the DNT and local TV news do not help by reporting only a slice of the whole story. He has dedicated a big part of his career denigrating charter schools. 
Why would it ever be wrong to educate kids?  I just don't get it.

I taught at the Edison school system in Duluth.  While many of the teachers I worked with were brillant, it was one of the most horrible experiences of my life.  During my tenure, the Edison school system was run very poorly - and I know what you all are thinking, but I've also taught at many schools in 709 and did not have any where near the same bad experience.  I wasn't suprised by the DNT article about Edison AT ALL.  That being said, it isn't fair to lump other charter schools in the same boat as Edison.... That's my 2 cents.

I like the part where baci says parents know what's best for their kids. I agree.