RE: Question 2: Non-traditional education

I want to stress the importance of specifically addressing Charter Schools in the Master Plan.  As a parent of a child in a charter school, I have seen the direct benefits of alternative appraoches that charter schools offer.  My daughter (4th grade) is bi-lingaul/bi-literate (english/spanish), reading and writting at and above grade level.  I can not afford a private education for her, and could not have gifted her with two languages in a traditional public school (due to California Laws on bi-lingual education that Charter Schools can opt out of).  She has benifitted from the dynamic appraoches to teaching her teacher uses, utilizing multiple approaches to meet the very diverse needs of the students in her classroom.  As an education graduate student, I have visited countless classrooms and schools.  I have seen first hand the difference in classrooms where teachers and administrators have freedom to explore learning with their children, not just prepare them for the next high-stakes test.  Charter Schools by and large provide more opportunities for teachers and studntes alike because they have more flexibility than traditional public schools.  That flexibility should be extended, not restricted.  Monitored, yes.  Stifled, no.  Hold them accountable but don't dictate the process.