SACRAMENTO, CA -- An oft-used argument against charter schools is that they "cream" the best students out of the regular public schools and leave behind the hard-to-educate (i.e., students with learning problems, disciplinary problems, dysfunctional family backgrounds, etc.). The evidence, however, shows the opposite: many charter schools are geared specifically to address the needs of troubled youngsters.

Take, for example, the Children's Academies for Achievement (CAA) organization. CAA is dedicated to creating a national network of public residential schools for at-risk youth. Last September, CAA opened its first school, the Proctor Academy Charter School in New Jersey. The Proctor Academy Charter is the first public boarding school to be chartered in the United States and, according to CAA, serves "children who have been unable to achieve their potential due to the myriad of distractions and temptations that pervade their environments, such as high rates of violence, prevalent substance abuses, and even child abuse and neglect." Students come from the foster care system, from low-income families, and from families headed by grandparents unable to cope with raising children. Eligible students are admitted based on a lottery system.

Taking advantage of the autonomy granted by charter status, the learning environment at Proctor is truly innovative. As a boarding school, Proctor provides a 24-hour-a-day, year-round program where students live and learn in an environment that promotes discipline, self-respect and responsibility. The curriculum emphasizes interdisciplinary instruction, interactive computer work, foreign languages (students are required to be able to speak and think in both Latin and Spanish), and community service projects. Students are required to wear uniforms, attend Saturday study sessions, perform chores and join clubs.

Comparing Proctor with her previous school, one Proctor student observed, "In my [previous] school, the kids don't listen to the teachers. They're always fighting and doing crazy stuff. It's hard to learn." That's definitely not the case at Proctor. Director Reece points to one particular 13-year-old boy whose family background included drug-related dysfunctions, homelessness, and street violence. Not surprisingly, the boy had a discipline and behavior problem. Yet, after just a few months at Proctor, the boy's residence report found that he was diligent and worked hard. The boy, himself smiles and proclaims, "Turned over a new leaf, yes."

Perhaps the most amazing thing about the Proctor Academy Charter is that the cost to the taxpayer is significantly lower than for regular public schools. Annual tuition, room and board at Proctor costs $17,000 per student. Of that amount, only $7,000 comes from the State of New Jersey (the other $10,000 comes from private contributions). The average per-pupil government expenditure in New Jersey is $11,000. The benefits of an Arizona-type tax credit to assist charter school organizations are obvious.

As the California legislature convenes for a new session, it's time that lawmakers start thinking outside of the usual education policy box. The Proctor model would be a worthy place to start.

--By Lance Izumi