EDITORIAL

The goal is clear.

The hurdles are many.

Within the next few weeks, a group of Costa Mesa parents plan to

present to the Newport-Mesa Unified School District a proposal to start

the community’s first charter school.

A charter school -- while still public -- typically is organized by a

group of parents, teachers or community leaders. Their specific goals and

operating procedures are detailed in an agreement, or charter, with the

local governing school board.

The lure of ultra-local control has caused the charter school movement

to gain momentum throughout the state and nation. In South County, the

Capistrano Unified School District has just opened its first and tried

this year to become a charter district, which would allow the creation of

additional charter schools.

The benefit of these schools, supporters say, is that they are

generally exempt from most laws and requirements imposed on other public

schools, though in California they are required to participate in

statewide assessment tests. But otherwise, charter school teachers are

free to run their classrooms how they see fit.

That freedom has led to some innovative programs, such as officials at

Amino Leadership High School in the Lennox community of Los Angeles

County, where the school has issued its 140 students their own laptops

for use during the year.

Clearly, such creativity and freedom to try new ideas could be a boon

in classrooms in this community. We are certain parents and teachers with

the time and money to spend on students could achieve dramatic results.

But we have some concerns, including the well-documented difficulty

these schools have with raising necessary funds and finding a location --

a problem faced by Capistrano Unified officials.

And we are anxious to see how students would be chosen to attend the

school. Would it be for gifted students? For students who aren’t

excelling in the traditional public school environment? Would any student

who wanted to attend be allowed in?

By law, the school’s student body must mirror the rest of the district

-- Newport-Mesa’s population is about 30% Latino. We are interested to

see how that provision would be followed.

These hurdles -- and others still unforeseen -- will have to be

crossed before the doors to Mesa Leadership Academy open. Leaping them

successfully will be the first sign that those leading this charge would

be equally capable of teaching our children.