Promising Strategies in Action

Want to know what these strategies look like in action at actual schools? So
did we! That’s why we asked four schools we worked with to open their doors
and help us get a deeper look at how the five strategies are implemented in
their respective schools. These four schools were Downtown Denver Expeditionary School, Envision Academy of Arts and Technology,
Evergreen Community Charter
School, and Francis W. Parker Charter Essential School. Take some time to
read and explore!

Key Flexibilities

In many states, charter schools are provided key flexibilities as part of their charters. For those charter schools that operate as their own Local Education Agency (nearly half of all charter schools) these autonomies—including autonomies in budgeting, designing the school calendar, choosing curriculum, hiring, staffing, and culture—could be used to include or exclude students with disabilities from rigorous, 21st century learning. The schools above leveraged their flexibilities toward the former, creating greater inclusion around 21st century learning practices. The steps they took could go a long way in informing practice in traditional public schools, which can take policy actions to learn about and empower many of the same sorts of flexibilities.