http://tinyurl.com/92q6vxfwell, good luck to him; especially the kids... (no sinks in the science lab? yikes..)
More Details: Jalen Rose Leadership Academy, a charter high school, opened last fall with the help of an $800,000 grant from Michigan Future, a key member organization in the Excellent Schools Detroit Coalition. Among the innovations during the first year (2011-12):
• 11-month school year; 211 days
• 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. daily schedule; core classes 90 minutes per day; 8 a.m.-2 p.m. daily schedule for third (summer) trimester.
• Daily leadership class for first two trimesters.
• No homework: All course work completed in school.
• No failing grades: Students had to retake course work till they got an A or B.
• Laptops for all students for online curriculum.
• Hands-on learning
• Students expected to write a novel by graduation.
• 2-hour weekly ACT prep class
• Daily physical education class
More Details: What are charter schools?
Charter schools are public schools authorized by a university, community college, school district or intermediate school district. They have appointed school boards; many boards pay firms to run day-to-day operations, such as hiring staff and acquiring facilities.
For-profit or nonprofit companies can run charter schools. Michigan leads the country in the percentage of charters operated by for-profit firms.
Here is a look at charter schools in Michigan:
• Number in state in 2011-12: 255 with 115,000 students
• In Detroit: 56 with about 45,000 students (2010-11)
• Expected to open in fall: 31 statewide, 10 in Detroit
• Percentage statewide run by for-profit companies: 73% (2010-11)
More Details: Jalen Rose academy
Jalen Rose Leadership Academy is authorized by Central Michigan University and managed by Operation Graduation, a nonprofit. A look at the academy:
• Opened: September 2011
• Last year: 120 in ninth grade
• Projected 2012-13 enrollment: 240 students, ninth-10th grades
• Projected capacity: 480 students, ninth-12th grades by 2014-15
• Socioeconomic status: 85% low income
• Maximum class size: 20
• Target ACT score: 21; state average is 19.6
• Target graduation rate: 85%
• Target college rate: 85%
• State aid: $7,110 per pupil
• Average teacher pay: $40,000
