Charter schools find success across nation

Teresa Hinds

Saturday, Feb. 8, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.

With more than 400 charter schools operating nationwide, the Center for Education Reform holds the Benjamin Franklin Charter Schools in Arizona as a prime example of charter school success.

Eddie Farnsworth, president and executive director of the two Benjamin Franklin campuses, one in Mesa and one in Queen Creek, said his organization's success boils down to a curriculum that focuses on the basics, an organization that is run like a business and strong parental involvement.

"Our curriculum is a time-proven curriculum that focuses on the basics: reading, writing and arithmetic," Farnsworth said.

In addition, the curriculum is supplemented with courses in science, music, poetry and after-school athletics run in conjunction with the city.

Farnsworth explained that the Benjamin Franklin schools employ an intense curriculum, beginning in kindergarten.

Kindergartner's curriculum includes first-grade reading and math concepts. When students begin the first grade, Farnsworth said, "they know how to read and are at a second-grade spelling level. As the kids continue through the program, they are doing curriculum a year ahead.

"When our kids come out of this program, they know how to do things they should know how to do. They can do mental math, they don't need a calculator."

Farnsworth's philosophy is that if children do not have a strong foundation in the basics, "it doesn't matter how intelligent they are."

"If they don't know how to read, they're not going to be able to compete in the real world," Farnsworth said.

The Benjamin Franklin Charter Schools have three board members to run the organization who have a strong business background. Farnsworth has a bachelor's degree in economics, a master's degree in business administration and is also a corporate attorney.

Farnsworth added that an active parental advisory council is a key concept to the charter school's success.

The two campuses collectively serve students from kindergarten through sixth grade, and are expected to grow a grade a year to eventually serve students through 12th grade.

Farnsworth was instrumental in the cleanup of Arizona's charter legislation and offered the following advice for Nevada lawmakers:

"Put faith in the market system. The problem I've seen is that charter operators are so constrained in their operations that they are not truly a viable source of choice.

"The marketplace will work. If charter schools aren't giving the parents what they want, they'll go out of business."