COMMENTARY: Bentonville Should Eye Charters

NORTHWEST ARKANSAS — Bentonville’s voters recently opposed a $128 million millage to create a second high school that would relieve overcrowding at Bentonville High School.

According to U.S. News & World Report, Bentonville High is one of the best high schools in the state, if not the nation. Unfortunately, it is also bursting at the seams.

At more than 3,600 students and growing, Bentonville High works well for most, but seems too large for some students and staff who want a more intimate setting.

With the defeat of the millage, it now becomes a logical time to have a robust community discussion about other options.

Somewhat lost in all the conversation about creating a second high school is that Bentonville High is doing a fine job as it is.

Test scores are strong and most of the students, staff and parents seem happy.

Cutting the school in half to make two high schools would entail another year of divisive wrangling over attendance lines, followed by a year of discussion over architect plans, parking and staff transfers. Who really needs that?

There is a better and less expensive way to partially relieve overcrowding and serve student needs.

Bentonville is the home of Walmart, a company that understands that choice makes any entity better; so why not create a community where parents have more education options? Why not keep a great big high school which works well for most kids, but also permit smaller schools of choice for parents who want something diff erent? Why not allow charter schools?

Charter schools are public schools managed like private schools. Like traditional public schools, charters are authorized by public authorities, must do well on state academic tests, have to serve special-needs students, and cannot impose religion or discriminate in admission.Yet like private schools, charters are self-governing rather than reporting to a district and school board.

Charters earn funding based on the number of parents choosing the school. If nobody chooses a charter, it closes, so charters work hard to please parents. Andif a charter fails fi nancially or academically, the state closes it, making charter schools doubly accountable.

Charters typically serve niche markets with a singular focus such as the arts, vo-tech education, classical learning, or science and math, rather than trying to be all things for all families.

In Arkansas, charter schools must survive on the basic state per-pupil allocation and do not access any of the funding provided by local millage taxes. In Arkansas, and in most states, charters spend about a fifth less per pupil than traditional public schools, offering parents a choice and taxpayers a bargain.

Research shows that charters excel on teacher and parent satisfaction, and generally do somewhat better than average on student level value added (how much a student learns each year).

Approving a charter school in Bentonville could help alleviate overcrowding and enable Bentonville High to stay great rather than split in two. Since charter schools cost the local community nothing and charters are usually quick to open, they would off er more system-level fl exibility in meeting demand. Charters could also offer a refuge tostudents who need a smaller environment, or just want something diff erent.

Fayetteville High School has prospered alongside Haas Hall Academy charter school for a decade, giving Fayetteville two great public high schools to brag about.

Some parents have kids at both schools. More than anyone, parents understand that diff erent kids have different needs. Having a great traditional public high school alongside fi ne charter schools off ers win-win solutions for teachers and kids.

Having various schools to choose from also off ers children who are floundering academically or socially a second chance in a new setting. Sometimes that is all they need.

For 50 years Walmart has shown itself to be the most innovative, customerfriendly retailer in the world; so why shouldn’t its hometown host the most innovative, parent- and teacher-friendly school system in America?

ROBERT MARANTO IS THE 21ST CENTURY CHAIRMAN IN LEADERSHIP IN THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION REFORM AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS. WITH OTHERS HE HAS AUTHORED OR EDITED 11 BOOKS, INCLUDING “PRESIDENT OBAMA AND EDUCATION REFORM.”