WKOW 27: Madison, WI Breaking News, Weather and SportsCharter school leaders foresee growth
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MADISON (WKOW) -- Charter schools in Wisconsin may be making a takeoff: they'll be receiving $86 million in DPI funding to be used to start 130 new schools over the next five years.
The 2010 Wisconsin Charter School Conference takes place Monday and Tuesday at Monona Terrace in Madison.
Those grants will be used to start up new schools: or share knowledge with other schools.
Charter schools are public, so they're funded through a city's school district. But the Department of Public Instruction received an $86 million dollar grant last year specifically to plan and implement charter schools. Leaders are hoping to start up 130 new schools across the state over the next five years.
Sarah Granofsky, the program director for the Wisconsin Charter Schools Association, says, "The implementation grants are for when the school needs to buy books, or microscopes, so that it's not a burden on the school district to open a new charter school."
One new school is already in the planning process in Madison, called Badger Rock Middle School: designed to be a "green" and environmentally-friendly charter.
Jamie Domini is on the planning team for the school. She says, "We're going to be doing a lot of our learning outside of the school, so it's not a sit and get situation. We are getting our hands dirty and out and active in the community."
In a job climate that's seemingly more favorable to those specializing in certain fields, teachers say these schools will provide innovative skills for the future.
Granofsky adds, "If we could have a great plethora of schools across Wisconsin that really are addressing individual needs in each community.. we could have something fantastic in public education here in Wisconsin."
As far as the Badger Rock Middle School goes, planners have submitted a grant application to the Department of Public Instruction. The plan would then need to be approved by the Madison School Board. Planners were hoping to have the school up and running by fall of 2011.
There are currently 220 charter school in Wisconsin, with 35,000 students enrolled. For more information, click on the link to the left of this story.
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