Legislators Reflect on Visit to Studio Academy
Over the last few months, several charter schools across the state have invited legislators to visit their schools as a way of promoting understanding about charter schools. One such school, Studio Academy in Rochester, has had two legislators visit the school. Senator Sheila Kiscaden and Representative Carla Nelson, both of District 30, recently spent some time with staff and students at Studio Academy.
Following her visit, Senator Kiscaden commented, “School choice is of value. In the Rochester area, we have many private, charter, and regular public schools that offer choices that match with parents’ philosophies and students’ needs. I know from personal experience with students who have attended Studio Academy that they have found support and encouragement for their artistic development at Studio Academy. Teens with strong interests in the arts need those interests supported. Studio Academy clearly enriches the choices available in our community.”
Kiscaden also commented that the main difference she observed between Studio Academy and other schools was in the physical plant. “The staff at Studio Academy has creatively worked to overcome their physical plant limitations, but they did talk with me about the need for charter schools to have the option to own facilities. This is an issue that will likely be discussed during the next legislative session.”
While this wasn’t Representative Nelson’s fi rst visit to Studio Academy, as a former teacher, she commented that she enjoys visiting schools to inform her work on the Education Policy Committee and Higher Education Finance Committee. “I continue to be impressed by Studio Academy’s intimate setting, special arts offerings, and committed staff,” said Nelson. “I was happy to learn about the ways Studio Academy prepares students to make the transition between high school and post-secondary options. It isn’t enough any more for students to have just a high school diploma. Studio Academy is taking a strong role in preparing students for postsecondary options by helping them create portfolios of their work and designing coursework to prepare students for this transition.” Representative Nelson also discussed several education issues she believes will be addressed during the next legislative session. “We will discuss the implementation of the social studies and science academic standards. In addition, there will be further discussion about the state’s role in the implementation of No Child Left Behind. On the accountability front, I will be advocating for value-added assessment as a means for schools to more accurately demonstrate to the public that students are learning. Value-added assessments have been used in the Rochester public schools on a small scale. I’m not sure how this could be implemented statewide, but I’d like to explore options.”
Eric Holsen, Director at Studio Academy, was pleased to host the visitors. “Senator Kiscaden and Representative Nelson made special efforts to squeeze us into their busy schedules. They both had the opportunity to visit with students and were interested in hearing about what students had to say about Studio Academy and their experiences in K-12 education. In particular, the legislators asked students to talk about what they want out of education. It was a positive experience for the students. I’d encourage other schools to invite legislators to visit.”