This collection of materials from 1988 highlights Albert Shanker’s influential advocacy for a new kind of school reform rooted in teacher empowerment and educational experimentation. Through his “Where We Stand” columns in the New York Times and public addresses, Shanker proposed that teams of teachers be given the authority to create chartered schools-within-schools, a radical […]
MN
1991: America’s First Charter Schools Law
The Minnesota Foundation’s fourteenth annual Itasca Seminar brought together tinkers, doers, and policymakers to explore how to improve public education. Among this October 1988 event’s national speakers were Al Shanker and New York’s Sy Fliegel, the architect of East Harlem’s choice-based innovations. More local attendees included the Citizens League’s Ted Kolderie and the vice chair […]
Albert Shanker‘s Correspondence to Ray Budde
This document is a series of letters exchanged between Ray Budde, an originator of the charter school concept, and Albert Shanker, then-president of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), dated between June and August 1993. Their correspondence centers on the theory and practical implications of chartering all schools in a district—a radical form of decentralization […]
Albert Shanker: National Press Club Speech 1988
In his 1988 speech to the National Press Club, Albert Shanker, President of the American Federation of Teachers, addressed the shortcomings and challenges in American public education and proposed a bold, second-wave reform agenda. Reflecting on the initial wave of education reforms following A Nation at Risk, Shanker praised improvements such as higher standards and […]
The Charter Story from Ember Reichgott Junge
Ember Reichgott Junge, former Minnesota State Senator and author of the first charter school law, recounted the origins and evolution of charter schools. The first charter school, City Academy, opened in 1992, serving students who had dropped out. Today, charter schools are in 44 states, including Guam and Alberta, Canada, with over 7,000 schools serving […]
2008 Charter School Hall of Fame: Ember Reichgott Junge
Courtesy of: National Alliance for Public Charter Schools Ember Reichgott Junge recounts her pivotal role in the establishment of charter schools in Minnesota, inspired by a speech from Al Shanker at an education reform conference. Despite initial opposition from teachers’ unions and Democrats, she persisted in advocating for charter schools, which offer autonomy and independence. […]
Eugene Piccolo – Bio
View Charter Founders Eugene Piccolo In Memoriam | 1953-2024 Minnesota Educator & Advocate | Minnesota Association of Charter Schools A champion for children and the chartering idea, Eugene Piccolo served as the Executive Director of the Minnesota Association of Charter Schools from 2005 until his retirement in 2023. He is known for his turnaround of […]
