In response to recent budget woes and other challenges the Grand Rapids Public School system has faced in recent years, school leaders have proposed public/private partnerships that will create innovative schools and prepare students to lead the city's economic growth. One group of community and business leaders has already submitted their idea for a new middle school that could begin as early as fall 2008.
According to excerpts from the story:
Grand Rapids Public Schools Superintendent Bernard Taylor knows the importance his district plays in driving the local economy.
He's hoping others in the community do as well and will come forward to help create specialized schools, known as "centers of innovation."
The new schools could include an arts academy, a college preparatory high school or single-gender schools.
The centers of innovation could differ from traditional schools in their focus, requirements for teachers, hours of operation and length of school year. The new schools will also feature smaller class sizes and be more independent than the district's other schools.
Read the complete story here.
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