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Published on 06/26/1995 All articles from this issue

Parents hoping to establish county's first charter school

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By Jennifer Bixler / Town Crier Staff Writer

Supporters of Crossroads Middle School in Cupertino say they hope to establish the first charter school in Santa Clara County.

Charter schools operate independently from the local school districts, intending to improve student learning while giving families a choice. Charter schools developed out of the Charter School Act of 1992, enacted by the California Legislature.

"The difference between a charter school and a regular public school is that a charter school operates independently of the school district, so it makes its own rules and makes its own admissions policy," said Barbara Knaster, a parent involved in the Crossroads Middle School charter effort. "It can admit anybody or deny admission to anybody. It also can take children from any district, it is not restricted by district lines and it can take anyone from anywhere in the state."

"The way it differs from a private school is that it does not charge tuition. It is funded by the state of California as a public school," Knaster said.

The Crossroads Middle School plan was brought about by a group of parents who cherished the elementary school education their children received at Christina McAiliffe Elementary School in Cupertino, and the worries they have about the middle school education in their children's future, Knaster said.

The Cupertino Union School District board held public discussion June 13 on the charter school proposal. The district must accept the charter proposal in order to establish the school. Another hearing will be held within 30 days.

Crossroads Middle School is scheduled to open in September 1996, involving grades 6-8. The school will probably be limited to 150 students the first year, Knaster said.

If established, the Crossroads Middle School organizers would like the school to specialize in "hands-on group training," Knaster said. "Charter schools can set its own curriculum, within the framework set by the state."

A core group of people that will become a governing council to find teachers, evaluate admissions, and find staff will be decided upon the approval of the charter, Knaster said.The location of Crossroads Middle School has yet to be decided and no sites have been mentioned, Knaster said. Parents involved are looking to "find someone who will donate a building or a building with cheap rent," she said.