http://www.rapidcityjournal.com/articles/2007/11/13/news/top/doc47369683c4e4a679531805.txt
At the urging of Native American parents and educators in Rapid City, Sen. Tom Katus is drafting South Dakota's first charter school law and plans to introduce it during the coming legislative session. Katus says Native Americans feel that the school district is not meeting the needs of Native American students. While the graduation rate for the district was 78 percent last year, the graduation rate for Native American students was only 37 percent. "High dropout rates are clearly driving" the push for charter school legislation, he said. With the help of the Society for the Advancement of Native Interests-Today (SANI-T), community members seeking a solution to poor student achievement and high dropout rates began meeting months ago to discuss the charter school concept. "We're facilitating what the community wants," said SANI-T executive director Laurette Pourier. "Kids are leaving (school) at too fast a rate." In its present form, Katus' legislation grants charter authorizing ability to local school boards, the state board of education and an 11-member board of charter schools. The teachers' union has voiced displeasure with the draft.
Source: The Rapid City Journal
Date: 11/13/2007
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