Charter schools group sets high goal

The state's largest association for charter schools hopes to enroll 10 percent of the state's public school students within the next five years.

It's an ambitious goal, considering that would be about 70,000 students in charter schools when only 9,000 students are enrolled in those schools this year. But the new executive director of the South Carolina Association of Public Charter Schools feels confident that, with the schools set to open next fall, as well as those interested in opening in 2011, hitting the 10 percent goal isn't that huge of a leap within five years.

"Other states have accomplished similar growth with high quality when all of the right pieces came together," said Mary Carmichael, executive director of the charter association. "We are at that point."

Increasing the number of children in charter schools is one of the major goals the association has detailed in its new strategic plan that will be implemented by Carmichael, a Charleston resident who was instrumental in the founding of the downtown Charleston Charter School for Math & Science. Carmichael, who was tapped as the state charter association's new executive director this summer, said she plans to use what she's learned to help other groups who want to open charter schools. Many students don't have the educational opportunities that they should, and charter schools give parents the choices they want and stimulate change in traditional public schools, Carmichael said.

"Change in traditional school systems can take years to plan and implement - usually with a top-down model," she said. "Charter schools are able to create significant educational choices in a community in a much shorter time frame. They are a true grass roots effort that empowers families to transform education in their communities."

States have varying numbers of charter schools, and 11 states don't allow charter schools. In the Southeast, Texas and Florida have the second- and third-highest, respectively, charter school enrollment in the nation, according to 2007-08 figures from the Southern Regional Education Board, a nonprofit that helps government and education leaders from its 16 member states' work together to improve education. South Carolina had the sixth-highest number of charter schools among Southern Regional Education Board states; the Palmetto State has 35 charter schools this year.

Ten new charter schools should open statewide next fall, and 15 others have told Carmichael they'd like to open in 2011. The association plans to target the area along Interstate 95, dubbed the Corridor of Shame, as a prime spot to increase the number of charter schools.

Although the state has had its charter school law for about 10 years, many people still don't understand what charter schools are, so educating them will be a priority, Carmichael said. Charter schools are public schools run by boards of parents and community leaders; they don't have to follow the county school board's policies or mandates.

The association plans to launch an Institute of Charter School Excellence that will provide training for prospective charter schools, as well as those with approved applications. Some of the formal training that will be offered has been available informally for the past few years, she said. The association also plans to offer training for charter boards and principals, expand the resources and support available to charter schools and increase public awareness of charter schools' accomplishments.

Reach Diette Courrégé at 937-5546.