As Internet technology encroached on the public school classroom about a decade ago, Kim Ross, superintendent of the Houston School District in Houston, Minnesota, saw an opportunity. At first, he and his administrative team simply wanted to offer students in the district of 1,300 access to more classes via the web than what a district that size…

School leaders should use the charter-school movement as an opportunity to involve all community members in designing all schools and changing schooling's managerial structure. The Advocacy Design Center process is a community-building strategy based on democratic values and research-based models. The idea is to create vital, inquiry-based schools…