Page 49 - 2015 Compass Now

Charter Schools and Alternative Education Programs EDUCATION

There is an increasing amount of choice in the Great Rivers Region when it comes to public education
options. Charter schools are independent public schools that offer a choice to parents and students in the
area of curriculum, teaching methodology, and classroom structure. Charter schools foster an environment
of innovation and are created with the best elements of traditional public schools in mind. Each school is
created through a contract or “charter” between the charter school body and the sponsoring school board.
Charter schools employ licensed teachers, offer services to special needs students, and require students
to take state assessment tests to assure academic accountability. Charter schools do not charge tuition.
There are several charter schools in the Great Rivers Region. Laurel High School, Pleasant Ridge Elementary
School, The School of Technology and Arts, Coulee Montessori Charter School, Monroe Alternative Charter
School, Monroe Virtual Charter Middle School, Monroe Independent Virtual Charter High School, Viroqua
Area Montessori School, and Youth Initiative High School are a few of the Wisconsin Charter schools within
the Great Rivers Region. Houston County charter schools include La Crescent Montessori Academy and
Ridgeway Community School.

School districts have also developed alternative education options focused on reaching at-risk students
who were not succeeding in traditional school settings and are at-risk for not graduating. These schools
may or may not be charter schools but all offer programs with a low student-to-teacher ratio, individualized
instruction, and extra social support to create a positive learning atmosphere where students are more
likely to succeed. Some of these schools include: Better Futures (Vernon County), Sparta Area Independent
Learning School and the Robert Kupper Learning Center (Monroe County), Summit Learning Center (Houston
County), and LaCrossroads (La Crosse County).

As another alternative to traditional K-12 education, some students are now able to participate in online
education. Online education may offer flexibility for students, teachers, and parents, although its efficacy is
still being tested. It can be an inexpensive supplement to existing curriculum. This method may offer more
options for students as they explore what electives and career paths they are interested in. An example
of an online school in the Great Rivers Region is the Minnesota Virtual Academy (MNVA), a K-12 online
public school based in the Houston County School District that is one of the first statewide online programs
in Minnesota. Since it was founded in 2002, it has developed over 130 courses, some of which include
Advanced Placement (AP) courses and electives. Similar to some high schools in our region, students may
earn college credit while attending. Wisconsin also has online school options. The Wisconsin Virtual School
(WVS) partners with school districts throughout Wisconsin, including several in the Great Rivers Region, to
offer online courses to middle and high school students. WVS has been operated out of CESA #9 since 2000
and has served over 25,000 students to date, with over half of Wisconsin’s school districts participating in
the program. The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction has an agreement with the Wisconsin Virtual
School to provide online courses and services to Wisconsin school districts as a partner in the Wisconsin
Digital Learning Collaborative.

Early Childhood Education

Enrollment in school is mandated by law at the age of six. However, participation in high quality early
childhood education before the age of five can have a positive influence on test scores, lower the rates of
grade repetition and special education, and result in higher educational attainment6. Participation in early
childhood is not mandated by law. Respondents of the COMPASS NOW 2015 Random Household Survey
were asked to rate the availability of early education opportunities in their community. The results are shown
in Figure 4.

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