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Each year, Newsweek chooses the best public high schools in the country based on how hard schools work to challenge students with advanced-placement, college-level courses and tests.
For 2010, just over 1,600 schools - or 6 percent of all the public schools in the United States - made the list.
What's notable is that 15 public charter schools made the Top 100 list, though charters only represent 5 percent of all high schools. Thirteen of the charter high schools were start-up schools, while only two were conversions from traditional public schools.
Sadly, not one single public high school from West Virginia made the Top 100 list.
In fact, West Virginia had just four schools even make the overall list of the top 1,623 schools. The state's highest-ranked school, George Washington High School in Charleston, also our only high school in the top 1,000, came in at only No. 678.
As co-founder of West Virginians for Education Reform, and as a recent graduate of the state's public school system, I remind citizens and lawmakers that our state ranks 50th in the nation in the number of adults with bachelor's degrees, and that recent survey results show that 86 percent of West Virginia residents favor more public school options.
To me, both data points provide an overwhelming message from parents, business and community members, as well as taxpayers and citizens, that it is time our state creates and passes a comprehensive state charter law that will explicitly allow for start-up public charter schools.
With our graduation rate recently calculated at 71 percent, it is very clear that we are not doing the job of preparing over a quarter of a million of our public school students for college and beyond. The time for real reform is now.
West Virginians want more public school choices, including charter schools - independent, innovative public schools that are held accountable for improved student achievement.
A recent RAND study shows that charter schools have graduation rates 7 percent to 15 percent higher than traditional public schools. In addition, in Chicago and Florida, students in charter high schools benefited from an 8 to 10 percentage point increase in their likelihood to attend college.
Yet, despite such positive data, West Virginia is one of only 10 states that currently prohibits charter schools.
This year, state lawmakers have made great strides to introduce charter school legislation. However, it includes restrictions that have proven ineffective in other states, such as not explicitly allowing for start-up charter schools.
By not explicitly allowing these schools to be started from scratch, we are severely limiting the ability of educators and community groups to create schools of excellence that will prepare students for college and the work force. At the end of the day, families in West Virginia are left with only two choices - traditional public schools and private schools for those families who can afford them.
It is often thought that charter schools are an "urban solution" that is most effective and successful in inner cities with high minority and poverty levels, but that is simply not true.
Take BASIS Charter High School in Tucson, Ariz., for example. It is one of the top-ranked public charter schools on Newsweek's list at No. 6.
It is a start-up charter school that began in 1997 when economists Michael and Olga Block set out to create a model. The result of their vision has received consistent national praise and attention, with 100 percent of their students meeting or exceeding state standards on all subjects of the state's high-school exit exams and moving on to college.
North Coast Preparatory, in rural Arcata, Calif., came in at No. 23 on Newsweek's list.
Opened as a start-up charter school in 2000, this unique high school is based on the International Baccalaureate model and stresses critical thinking, performing and fine arts, community service and international travel - all while providing their students with university-level academic courses.
The bottom line is that our education system in West Virginia is struggling. We are consistently ranked at the bottom of lists that we don't want to be on, and rarely make an appearance on the top lists in education.
President John F. Kennedy said that "All of us do not have equal talent, but all of us should have an equal opportunity to develop our talent."
Public charter schools are simply another way to give parents choices in education for their children. The students in this state deserve every opportunity to have an exceptional education that will prepare them for success in our global economy.
Adams is co-founder of West Virginians for Education Reform (www.wvedreform.com) and a recent graduate of Capital High School in Kanawha County, where he was student body president.
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