Charter Schools Growing In Utah: A Look at the Salt Lake School for the Performing Arts
January 1, 2009
Eleven years ago, Teacher Unions were torn over the passage of charter schools. Utah Stories takes a look at the Salt Lake School for the Performing Arts to see how things are going.
by Jonny Glines
Many Utah educators expressed concern over funding, accountability and teacher credibility after charter schools were initiated in the Utah State Legislature in 1998. Despite the criticism, a growing number of students and teachers are turning to charters, and refuting the one-size-fits-all approach to teaching.
"I think that charter schools tend to focus more on the individual, instead of the masses," said Shalee Schmidt, Executive Director of the Salt Lake School for the Performing Arts, a charter school in Sugar House.
The Salt Lake School for the Performing Arts (SLSPA) uniquely shares a campus with Highland High School. Students take core classes like math and English with Highland High teachers while simultaneously taking performing arts classes with SLSPA teachers. Students graduate at the same pace as traditional high school students and do not pay tuition.
Charter school advocates say the school gives students the opportunity to enhance their performing arts talents while preparing them for college, or a career in the industry. Students play instruments like guitar and piano, they learn dance styles such as jazz, tap and ballet. They can take vocal and acting classes, along with many other choices in the school's curriculum. The options are as abundant as the classes are difficult, say charter school staffers.
"When kids come in thinking it's all fluff, they're in for a big surprise. It's collegiate level, expectations as well as teaching, so they have a lot of homework in addition to their other classes," said Schmidt. "They have ensembles and performances and rehearsals. These kids work hard, they work real hard."
Charter schools are public schools that are created by parents, teachers or community leaders who see a need for additional educational opportunities in their community. With a strong performing arts background in both her and her husband, Shalee Schmidt formed the Salt Lake School for Performing Arts two years ago.
"We were approached and said, 'sure, why not?' None of us knew how tough it was going to be!" said Schmidt.
For the first year, Shalee said she worked 24/7 to get the school off the ground. She not only organized the curriculum, but she also taught classes, counseled students and directed performances. Her staff grew and she was able to delegate responsibilities. She's started from scratch, and along the way, has noticed that charter schools have many critics.
During a 2007 Teacher's Union meeting, many members expressed disapproval for funding new charters under budgets that were already stretched very tight. Charters are government funded and many teachers don't want tax dollars to go towards programs that haven't yet established a track record of success.
"They feel like, why are you creating more schools when we have schools in the area?" says Schmidt, who responds with the questions; "Is my kid really succeeding here? Is he/she getting what they need? And if you've got the choice, why not pick the school that suits your kid?"
Another criticism that charter schools face is the question of credible teachers. Unlike traditional high school teachers, charter school educators are not required to have a teaching degree.
"Many of them (charter school critics) don't respect charters because we don't come from an education background, so we have a lot of learning. But at the same time, it allows us to think outside the box," said Schmidt.
Charter school educators do have to be licensed and Schmidt says some staff members work as aides until they complete certification. Schmidt also argues that there is a strong value in having professors that have worked in the field, rather than just teach theory.
"The work shows for itself, especially when you see the level of teaching in our classrooms. It's definitely collegiate. We base a lot of our classes on college curriculum. They know what's going on in the industry. We want a finger on the pulse of the industry and I just don't find that teachers straight out of college have that," said Schmidt.
In the school's second year now, Schmidt says her biggest adversity is trying to stretch funding. Tax dollars for education is intended to follow students, no matter which public school they attend "but they weren't getting the money from those districts that should have been following those children," said Schmidt, who has students attending her school from five different counties. "So, eventually the legislature said we'll take responsibility and we're going to provide the funding for these charters." Schmidt says that the legislature has since worked with charter schools and reevaluated funding.
In recent years, arts programs at public schools have been cut with budget shortfalls. However, when budget deficits occur at SLSPA they never resort to cutting their programs, instead they find creative ways of fundraising.
"We're always looking for more ways to raise money and looking for ways to have galas," said Schmidt. The school belongs to the district, but is funded independently; meaning costs for things like special education and other accommodations are assumed by the school alone, instead of spread out across the district. Schmidt said, "We have to have pretty much anything that you would have at a district level and a school level, within one school."
Schmidt says the fruits of the staff's labors are apparent in the students. Studies have shown that students who participate in art, music and theater, tend to also excel academically.
"I think in the arts, you have to take technique and learning and actually apply it. It's a quick turnaround it's not just theorizing. You have to take something and ingest it and then display it somehow. They've learned how to focus and get something done and produce something quickly," said Schmidt. She also feels that the programs allow them to grow not just as students but as people.
Unlike typical high schools where conformity and "fitting in" are key, Schmidt says SLSPA tries to encourage individuality, "A lot of high school is: 'don't be different',' follow the trend', 'follow the pack'. And I think that is the difference, allowing them to explore who they are."
