Capitol Report: The Genesis and Future of Charter Schools

Twenty years ago, Minnesota policymakers altered the public education landscape by allowing parents, students, and community leaders to establish schools independent of the traditional public school system. Today, these institutions, known as charter schools, are spread across the nation, as states have followed Minnesota's lead in providing an alternative educational choice.

On this week's program, Julie looks back at the origins of charter schools and ahead at future challenges. She speaks with Milo Cutter, a pioneer in the charter school movement and key leader at City Academy. Former Senator Ember Reichgott Junge, who championed the charter school law in the Minnesota Senate, reflects on the goals of the nation-leading law and changes occurring today.

Also in the program, Education Commissioner Brenda Cassellius offers a perspective on how charter schools meld into the administration's plans for kindergarten through high school education. Plus, Representative Pat Garofalo, R-Farmington, and chair of the House Education Finance Committee, assesses the future of charter schools within the scope of present day challenges.