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Legislative News and Views - Rep. Jennifer Schultz (DFL)

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RELEASE: With Central High sale looming, Schultz calls for charter school reform

Thursday, March 31, 2016

St. Paul, Minn. – As a vote by the Duluth School Board nears on a potential sale of the former Central High School property for a new Edison charter high school, Rep. Jennifer Schultz (DFL – Duluth) today announced her support for a package of reforms to the way Minnesota charter schools are funded and administered.

“After years of discussion and analysis, it’s been clear that Duluth has the ability to only support two high schools, and an expansion of the Edison charter to include a high school will harm our public education institutions, particularly Denfeld High,” Rep. Schultz said. “We all have a responsibility both to our young people as well as our taxpayers to ensure our public schools are able to fulfill a mission of academic excellence, while also remaining fiscally sustainable for generations to come. I’m not confident this deal ensures those.”

The bill Rep. Schultz anticipates working on with Rep. Erik Simonson (DFL – Duluth) includes provisions requiring charter school board members to be elected by voters, and prohibits major purchases of land or buildings until this occurs. It also requires funding mechanisms to be equal between charters and other public schools. Currently, charter schools receive a per-pupil lease aid formula paid from the state’s general fund. Also, if used as a school, the Central High facility would be exempt from property taxes. This would negate any future positive impact to local tax bases if it would potentially be sold to a private enterprise.

"Since charters are funded with public dollars, the boards should be publicly elected," Rep. Schultz said. "Moreover, with the state paying for the lease, this also puts taxpayers on the hook for the maintenance and rehabilitation costs of the building. This is inequitable, and moves our community backwards toward funding the costs of three high schools."

The Duluth School Board may vote as soon as tonight on a sale of Central, which closed in 2011. Tischer Creek Duluth Building Company would purchase the property, and in turn lease it to Edison. While the district stands to make $14.2 million from the sale, some community members remain concerned that a competing high school may adversely affect the Duluth Public Schools to an even greater amount down the road.

 

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