Research Aurora Charter School Charter Schools in Minneapolis, Minnesota

“The school provides students with a well structured learning environment to develop knowledge, values, and attitudes. This school really cares about the students and parents to support learning processes according to the community needs.”

“Very unorganized. Extremely rude staff. Poor quality of education. High turn over rate of instructors. I would not recommend this school to anyone.”

“This is a wonderful growing school full of staff and teachers who really care about their kids. They are focused on academic performance. Although their staff is some of the best i've seen, it is the overall attitude of the students that is most impressive. The students are uniformly kind, sweet and very serious about school. The lack of extracurricular activities is only a function of the size and age of the school. Next year the school opens another building to accommodate the new junior high grades. I only have experience with the younger grades and although English is only formally taught a couple times a week, by the end of first grade the students already have a good grasp of spoken English.”

“The inclusive bilingual approach practiced at aurora charter school is successful at achieving academic bilingualism in all of its students. I have had the pleasure of volunteering with a class of fifth graders, and have been continually impressed by the student s abilities to speak, read, and write in both Spanish and English. There is no reason why this same method should not be used more widely throughout the Latino community, and any other community dominated by language minority students. It is ignorant to attack this approach in regard to its ability for cultivating English proficiency. For children who are not native English speakers, it is absolutely necessary to acquire basic linguistic skills such as reading and writing in their first language in order to develop essential cognitive abilities that will allow them to become proficient in a second language.”

“I had the chance to visit Aurora Charter school when I was in Minnesota. Aurora has a great institution with a great staff. Aurora's students learn spanish and english at the same time. I have nothing but good things to say about Aurora.”

“This school does not have the best interest of students as the main goal. While attempting to maintain a fluency in Spanish, the administration has limited the English instruction making it virtually impossible for all but gifted students to become academically fluent in the English Language. Students are not allowed to be taught to read in English until Third Grade and do not have a native English speaking teacher until Fourth Grade. Children are often placed in lower grades if their Spanish language skills are not deemed at grade level. Staff turnover is extremely high due to an administration that refuses to positively support and listen to their teachers. Parents looking for bilingual education should look elsewhere as this school does not prepare students to be academically successful in the English speaking world.”

“Emphasis on academics. Pre-K through Grade 4 in new facility, will add 2 more grades 2004-2005. All classes but English taught in Spanish. Class size small. FT teacher aide for each class. Children wear uniforms. Strict behavior standards - children expected to be respectful to each other and adults, punctual and responsible. All homework must be completed on time. Free weekend tutoring available. Very supportive environment for families. School actively networks parents with community resources. Instructors and staff are dedicated and friendly.”