Don Cooper interviewed a former Grand Valley State University (GVSU) president about his role in Michigan’s charter school movement. The president, who joined GVSU in 1969, supported charter schools due to the competitive nature of higher education and the need for reform in K-12 education. He highlighted GVSU’s early involvement, starting with Black River High School, and the university’s role as a supervisor to ensure standards were met. Despite initial resistance from school districts and faculty, the president emphasized the benefits of charter schools, including better student outcomes and increased competition. He also noted the potential for collaborative efforts between universities and public schools.
Transcript
Outline
Introduction and Initial Thoughts on Charter Schools
- Don Cooper introduces the meeting and thanks the participants for their time.
- Speaker 1 shares their background, mentioning they joined Grand Valley in January 1969 and always liked the idea of charter schools.
- Speaker 1 discusses the competitive nature of higher education in Michigan and the need for competition in K-12 education.
- The idea of charter schools was introduced by Governor Angler, who proposed them as a way to improve K-12 education through competition.
Early Involvement and First Charter School
- Speaker 1 recalls how Central Michigan University led the charter school movement, with Grand Valley following closely.
- The first charter school proposal came from parents in Holland, Michigan, leading to the establishment of Black River High School.
- Speaker 1 decided to support charter schools after considering the proposal and receiving full support from the board.
- The board members, including Paul Johnson and Bill Seidman, supported the idea, and Grand Valley chartered the school.
Challenges and Standards in the Early Years
- The early years of charter schools were rocky, with caps on the number of charter schools and a need for supervision.
- Grand Valley acted as a superintendent, ensuring standards were met and charters were decertified if standards were not met.
- Speaker 1 mentions the national reaction to charter schools, particularly in Detroit, and the influence of the teachers’ union.
- Resistance from school districts and the school of education faculty was a significant challenge, with some faculty threatening not to take student teachers.
Collaboration with School Districts and Other Universities
- Speaker 1 met with superintendents of districts where Grand Valley chartered schools to discuss the impact and address concerns.
- A deal was made to charter only one school per district type to avoid direct competition with traditional public schools.
- The school of education faculty had mixed opinions, but Speaker 1 emphasized the university’s support for charter schools.
- Speaker 1 discusses the potential for collaboration between universities and public school systems to charter schools together.
Impact of Charter Schools and Future Prospects
- Charter schools were established to provide parents with options for their children and to introduce competition in education.
- The law allowing students to transfer between districts also helped parents.
- Speaker 1 notes the innovative practices in the Grand Rapids public school system and predicts more students will move to districts with effective charter schools.
- Don Cooper and Speaker 1 discuss the growth of charter schools in Detroit and the challenges faced by the Detroit public school system.
Reflections on the Charter School Movement
- Speaker 1 reflects on the rewarding aspects of Grand Valley’s involvement in charter schools, noting the students’ better educational progress.
- The charter school movement has been useful, but traditional public schools need to improve to better serve all students.
- Speaker 1 believes the charter school movement will continue to flourish if bad schools are eliminated.
- Don Cooper thanks Speaker 1 for their time and insights, concluding the meeting.
