City Academy, St. Paul, Minnesota

Urahn and Stewart (1994) describe the City Academy charter school:

"City Academy, sponsored by the St. Paul school district in May, 1992, was the third charter school approved by the State Board of Education. The charter received support from the mayor of St. Paul and the superintendent of the St. Paul schools. Northern States Power Company contributed substantial financial and other resource support. City Academy provides an alternative curriculum for students who have dropped out of the school or who are likely to drop out.

City Academy, the first charter to open in the fall of 1992, is located in a small, older recreation center in a middle-class, east St. Paul neighborhood. It currently serves 44 students, ages 16-21. Seventeen students graduated in the spring of 1993. City Academy staff recruited its original core of students from the streets and received others through referrals form the St. Paul school district. The school emphasizes individualized learning. Two themes stressed in the school are 'respect' and 'life lessons.' The school is geared to the students' life and educational needs. Each student agrees to a contract which specifies what will be learned and by when. Such a contract may include obtaining a driver's license or providing day care to community children in addition to more traditional educational objectives. Students work in the community and run a recreation program at the center." (p. 57)

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