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Contra Costa Times (Walnut Creek, CA)

December 14, 2002
Section: news
Edition: Final
Page: a05

BOARD TO VOTE ON RICHMOND CHARTER BID

35 HOURS OF COMMUNITY SERVICE WOULD BE REQUIRED FOR GRADUATION FROM THE PROPOSED HIGH SCHOOL
KARA SHIRE, TIMES STAFF WRITER

The idea works. At least it has so far.

Leadership High School, a charter school in San Francisco's Excelsior District, sent 99 percent of its graduating students to college last year.

The school scored 10 of 10 on a statewide academic ranking. Its test scores are third only to San Francisco's elite Lowell High School and School of the Arts.

But will it work in Richmond? Its founder thinks so.

Mark Kushner submitted a charter school application to the West County school district in November. The board is expected to vote on the proposal next month.

"We're very excited to be here," said Kushner, a former English teacher, principal and attorney who founded and directs the nonprofit charter school development company.

"It's going to take a lot of work to reach out to parents and the community, and we know that. We're willing to work with that. We want to learn more."

Kushner's idea is to create a small high school in Richmond that will educate the city's underserved poor and nonwhite students with the expectation that they all will go to college.

According to the charter application, 35 hours of community service will be required of all students, as will two years of leadership training. The school's curriculum goes beyond University of California requirements.

"Leadership Public Schools have a proven track record," said Gary Larson, spokesman for the California Network of Educational Charters. "And that's a good thing."

West County school board members were mostly mum during a public hearing on the proposal this week.

But the board, which has a reputation among some in the charter school community as intolerant of school choice, appears to be seriously considering the application.

"In my mind this is one of the most exciting charter proposals to come before this board," said school board member Glen Price.

"We've learned some hard lessons (about charter schools)," said board member George Harris III. "It's certainly refreshing to see an (experienced) operator of a charter come forward."

Kushner, who serves as chairman of the California Advisory Commission on Charter Schools, plans to open 25 Leadership Public School charters by 2012.

He hopes to open a Richmond campus in the fall. Kushner also is talking to Oakland and San Jose about opening campuses in those cities in 2003 or 2004.

Reach Kara Shire at 510-262-2798 or kshire@cctimes.com.