Another new charter school is being discussed in Appleton to address achievement gaps for Black students
APPLETON - The Appleton Area School District is rife with more than a dozen charter schools, and the district hasn’t had a proposal for a new charter school in almost a decade — until this year.
In November, the school board heard a proposal for a Hmong charter school. It heard a second proposal for the Academy for Black Excellence (ABLE) on Wednesday morning.
The board hasn’t taken action on either proposal, but Superintendent Greg Hartjes said the board will be asked to discuss and vote on the potential new schools in January and February.
At an early morning work session, Bola Delano-Oriaran, co-founder of African Heritage Inc., shared the high-level vision for ABLE — which would be a K-5 school — with the school board.
“For us, it’s all about advancing the well-being of human beings and they happen to be African Americans,” she said.
More:Appleton may get a Hmong charter school in the future, but plans are still in early stages
Charter schools in this context are public schools authorized by the school district, but with a separate governance board. The district doesn’t spend more on charter than non-charter schools. Generally, they serve one of two purposes: to fill a niche or specific need or to be an experimental school for new teaching strategies.
Any student in the district may apply to a charter school; those out of the district may also apply, but would also need to apply for open enrollment, according to the Wisconsin Resource Center for Charter Schools. If there are more applicants than spots available, many schools use lottery systems and waitlists when necessary.
A main goal of ABLE would be to craft instruction targeted at reducing achievement gaps between Black students and their white counterparts. Delano-Oriaran shared data with the board to show that Black and African American students in Appleton see anywhere from a 20% to 30% gap in proficiency in both math and reading.
Wisconsin has the largest gap between Black and white students out of any state in the country, as was evident in recent assessment data from the U.S. Department of Education’s National Assessment of Educational Progress.
The school would use "African-centered" instruction that is culturally relevant and responsive, while also aligning with the district’s core curriculum.
There would be reading, math, science and history classes, but Delano-Oriaran — who is also a dean and professor at St. Norbert College — said there would also be entrepreneurship and leadership classes. For the cultural component, students could engage in lessons on agriculture, art, dance, jazz and more.
The materials would include more imagery and stories of Black and African American people to allow students to better see themselves reflected in what they are learning, Delano-Oriaran explained. The hope is to put Black children at the center of their own education to help them feel safe, confident and like they belong.
“What some school districts do in February (for Black History Month), we’re going to do it 365 days a year,” she said.
ABLE would differ from other schools in AASD by planning to require students to wear uniforms, which Delano-Oriaran said was for equity reasons and a decision based on research.
Both ABLE and the proposed Hmong charter school would need to secure grants because startup costs for the schools would be “immense,” Hartjes said.
But first the board would need to give its approval, authorizing charters for the schools.
Reach AnnMarie Hilton at ahilton@gannett.com or 920-370-8045. Follow her on Twitter at @hilton_annmarie.
This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: New charter school for Black students could come to Appleton
