School Choice in Minneapolis

Minneapolis has lousy public schools, just as Chicago does, but at least students there have a choice.

As Katherine Kersten outlines in the WSJ, "Black Flight: the Exodus to Charter Schools", Minneapolis allows open enrollment in suburban schools, but most students choose schools close to home:

While about 1,620 low-income Minneapolis students attend suburban public schools, most of the fleeing minority and low-income students choose charter schools.

And Minneapolis, despite being a one party town dominated by Democrats, is blessed with the courage and vision of some local black leaders:

Black leaders like Louis King have had enough. He has a message for the school board: "You'll have to make big changes to get us back." He says the district needs a board that views families as customers and understands that competition has unalterably changed the rules of the game. "I'm a strong believer in public education," says Mr. King. "But this district's leaders have to make big changes or go out of business. If they don't, we'll see them in a museum, like the dinosaurs."