Minnesota birthed the charter school movement. Why is it failing here?

Plus: Flying on Walz Force One [Plus: Flying on Walz Force One] View this email as a [web page]( [The Minnesota Star Tribune](   [Essential Minnesota logo] ESSENTIAL MINNESOTA [Essential Minnesota logo] ESSENTIAL MINNESOTA Good morning, Minnesota! Scroll to the end for a salute to one of the coolest dudes I've ever met. On to the news 📢 [Eder Campuzano] By Eder Campuzano TODAY’S TOP STORIES - [Is population-stuck Duluth finally growing?]( - [Minnesota intensifies review process for new automatic voter registration system]( - [He was the face of addiction recovery, then he got hooked on opioids]( - [Hispanic Heritage Month starts this weekend. Here's how to celebrate in Minnesota]( - [Twins cut minor league catcher Derek Bender after he aids opponent in elimination game](   Anemic academic performance and uncertainty abound in the state that originated the charter school movement Leila Navidi/The Minnesota Star Tribune Today's top story looks at how the charter school movement has failed badly in the state that originated it. Reporters Mara Klecker and Jeffrey Meitrodt spent months poring over financial disclosures and interviewing charter school families and educators to bring you these stories. The upshot: Minnesota spends $1 billion a year on charter schools, but most are failing to deliver academic results that were promised. Some schools can’t even keep their doors open. How things got so bad: Lax oversight on many levels contributes to the failure, and rules that make it hard for charter founders to set up stable schools. Why it matters: Black and brown kids are disproportionately enrolled in charter schools, which perform worse academically than public schools. Where charter schools are doing well: A handful here in Minnesota make it work despite the constraints of our system. But Rhode Island might offer a statewide model we can follow. When we can expect a fix: It’s unclear. There hasn’t been much political will to help charters or hold them accountable for their performance. You can read Klecker and Meitrodt's series below. Related coverage - [Most Minnesota charter schools are failing to make good on their promises]( - [When Minnesota charter schools fail, vulnerable students pay the price]( - [How Rhode Island’s charter schools succeeded where Minnesota’s failed]( - [Watch: Two schools' paths demonstrate joy, pain of charter model]( [Read More](     GOING OUT - [The 5 best things our food writers ate this week]( - [The top 10 pop, rock and country concerts of fall 2024]( - [The best 10 theater musicals and dramas for fall 2024]( What we're up to this weekend Every Friday, your friendly neighborhood Essential Minnesota team will share a bit of what we're up to over the weekend. We'd love your suggestions — maybe we'll give 'em a shot and give you a shout out in Monday's edition. Send your favorite places to sip, hike, bike and more to essential@startribune.com. Here's what we've got on tap: 🏀 As a veteran Lynx fan, I've made it my mission to indoctrinate new Minnesotans. That's why I'm taking two of our newest Strib colleagues to their very first Lynx game at Target Center tonight. It’s against Chicago, and with Angel Reese out for the season, it’s next to assured the Lynx are going to win. -Ashley Miller 🏃 The Twin Cities 10 Mile race is less than a month away, which means I'll be up early Saturday attempting to run 8 miles as part of my training plan. After completing the Brooklyn Half Marathon and Bronx 10 Mile last year before my move back to Minnesota, I realized there's nothing like a race on the calendar to provide motivation. Catch me on W. River Parkway puttering and perspiring as I place one foot in front of the other. - David Taintor 🎉 Photographer Liz Flores is celebrating her first Mexican Independence Day in Mexico, but she wanted you to know about the [West Side Fiesta]( Saturday at Parque Castillo and De La O Fields behind El Burrito Mercado in St. Paul. Parade starts at 10 a.m.   [Share this newsletter with friends]( Do you enjoy Essential Minnesota? Encourage your friends and family to [sign up](. You also can share it using the links below.   Traveling aboard Walz Force One Political reporter Rochelle Olson recently spent a few days as a "captive of the campaign machine." In other words, she was covering the 2024 presidential election. She travelled to Pennsylvania to report on Gov. Tim Walz's first solo campaign trip as the Democratic vice presidential nominee. As you'd expect, the whole undertaking is tightly orchestrated. Show up early. Label all of your possessions. But despite their proximity to the candidate, traveling reporters didn't get much face time with the governor. "Off the plane, we were kept at a distance of at least 10 feet. Twice, reporters shouted a question and were ignored by Walz," Olson wrote. There were a few perks, though, including a particularly delicious whoopie pie we'd love to sample. Read more about Olson's [swing through the Keystone State here.]( Glen Stubbe/Star Tribune MORE FROM THE MINNESOTA STAR TRIBUNE - [Why isn’t medication that eliminates opioid cravings more widely used?]( - [Did French artist Sophie Calle anticipate the rise of social media?]( - [Brooks: Will the Trump campaign pay St. Cloud? City asks for $200,000 to cover July rally expenses]( CURIOUS MINNESOTA Renee Jones Schneider/The Minnesota Star Tribune What is the Aquatennial? And why does it happen on the third week of July? Transplants want to know and born-and-raised Minnesotans struggle to explain it. But the storied Minneapolis tradition is the focus of this week's edition of the Minnesota Star Tribune's reader-powered reporting project. A local union member heard Aquatennial got its start thanks to the Teamsters strike of 1934. Is that true? [You'll need to read Curious Minnesota to find out.]( IN OTHER NEWS - [Why is there a fence blocking a Minneapolis sidewalk under 35W on 31st Street?]( - MinnPost - [The small town that raised Vikings linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel still needs help]( - Pioneer Press - [An ode to the $6 old fashioned at the Anoka Hardware Store]( - Racket     THE MINNESOTA GOODBYE Michael Hughes/Guess Whose Boyfriend That Is The Minnesota Star Tribune lost a legend this week. Tom Horgen, assistant managing editor of audience, worked his last shift Wednesday and said goodbye to the newsroom after 19 years. In her note about Tom leaving, editor and senior vice president of news Suki Dardarian called him a change-maker. Tom oversaw the paper through an incredible evolution in his roles as a member and eventual leader of the Strib's Audience team. From social media to newsletters (like this one!) Tom’s vision is evident throughout the newsroom's digital presence. It is increasingly rare to have a boss as kind, dedicated and loyal as Tom. I believed in myself because Tom believed in me. This news organization is what it is today because Tom believed in it. Also, Tom is quite possibly the coolest person you’ll ever meet. [Check out his Instagram]( if you don’t believe me. He should be your No. 1 source for hidden-gem food recommendations in the Twin Cities. He also had the sickest sneaker game in the biz and inspired me to buy my first pair of Air Force 1s. So, raise a glass to Tom Horgen, one of the best to ever do it. -Ashley Miller, newsletter editor Thanks for reading Eder Campuzano, reporter David Taintor, editor     [Premium digital access] GET IMMEDIATE ACCESS TO EVERY STORY [Premium digital access] GET IMMEDIATE ACCESS TO EVERY STORY [Subscribe]( SHARE THIS NEWSLETTER [Email]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Manage email preferences]( • [Subscribe to Star Tribune]( • [Privacy Policy]( [Unsubscribe from this newsletter]( [Manage]( your preferences | [Opt Out]( using TrueRemove™ Got this as a forward? [Sign up]( to receive our future emails. View this email [online](. 650 3rd Ave. S. Suite 1300 | Minneapolis, MN 55488 US This email was sent to {EMAIL}. To continue receiving our emails, add us to your address book.