This year, I’ve decided to get an earlier head start while we head for the mid-summer doldrums. To kick off the 2010-11 edition, it seems appropriate to highlight the offspring of some golden oldies. I’ve written before about West Denver Prep middle school and Denver School of Science and Technology (DSST) — both top-notch, “distinguished” charter schools.

The great news is that these schools won’t be contained, but rather are multiplying under successful models and sound leadership. The 2010-11 school year doubles the number of West Denver Prep campuses from two to four, with new sites shared at Lake Middle School (starting with 6th graders only) and Emerson Street School.

And DSST (the original campus in the Stapleton neighborhood contains both a middle school and a high school) will open a second campus in far northeast Denver’s Green Valley Ranch. If DSST II hits the same trajectory of getting 100 percent of students ready to succeed and complete four-year college, it will have done a great service.

For the sake of the students they serve, here’s wishing continued and growing success for two of Colorado’s most remarkable charter schools as they expand into the 2010-11 school year and beyond.

Ben DeGrow, education policy analyst for the free-market Independence Institute, found much to like about the application, particularly the suggestions to provide financial incentives to teachers and to attach higher funding to high-risk students (which he noted would give parents more choice about which schools could best serve their students.)

There’s only so much reasonable space in an article like that one, so Ben asked me to revise and extend his remarks a bit. The “higher funding to high-risk students” is really a call for a widespread move to a transparent Weighted Student Funding formula that empowers parents and school-level leaders at the expense of central administration bureaucrats. Ben further cited Cole Arts and Science Academy as Colorado’s premier example of “Turning Around Low-Performing Schools.”

The financial incentives for teachers should be strongly attached to demonstrated individual and group performance in raising student academic outcomes, and for taking on challenging school assignments. In addition, Ben suggested the “Teachers and Leaders” portion of the Race to the Top recommendations ought to include a focus on expanding the pipeline into the teaching profession through more high-quality alternative certification programs.

Another focus area for the Race to the Top grant is in the area of STEM (science technology engineering and mathematics). That’s why it’s amazing that Jefferson County — Colorado’s largest school district — does not have any schools with a STEM emphasis.

For this reason, Jeff Sacco and the Jeffco Energy Education Partnership are working to introduce an innovative STEM school to Jeffco. Under the district’s purview, as a charter school or some other design, I don’t know. But if done right, it looks very much like a worthy effort — especially if Jeffco can follow in the steps of Denver’s successful School of Science and Technology.

Race to the Top’s funding is flowing from federal coffers, but here’s hoping it spurs the best kind of innovation and reform — in choice, funding, teaching, and science & technology — at both the state and local district levels.

First on the list, we start at the far end of the state in Durango for the opening of a new public charter school for 9th graders. Authorized by the Charter School Institute, Animas High School. Animas, which is intentionally modeled after San Diego’s innovative High Tech High, is slated to add grades each year so the first class will graduate in 2013.

Durango’s newest high school is premised on offering a strong liberal arts education using active, non-traditional project-based learning. Students will be given individual attention through their teacher-advisor, who will serve as the primary contact point for parents. Students will “develop a sense of belonging to the school community” through interacting with the other members of their cross-grade advisory group.

Following the High Tech High model, Animas is committed to ensuring that school is not isolated from the surrounding community. Adults from the area representing different careers and specialized hobbies will have the opportunity to come in and talk about or demonstrate their expertise. Meanwhile, students will be able to get outside and add relevance to their classroom learning through a wide range of internship opportunities.

If you live in the Durango area, and are interested in more information on Animas High, there’s a meeting tomorrow evening (Tuesday, July 21) at 6 PM at the Durango Public Library.

And if you think you have what it takes to be a teacher at Animas, they have announced openings in math, science, and Spanish.

Ninth and tenth graders at the Denver School of Science and Technology meet for their morning assembly to share announcements, accountability for tardiness and other infractions, and a special performance by school faculty and staff

You can’t leave DSST and a meeting with head of school Bill Kurtz without a clearly unique understanding of how brain science research is applied to design the school’s program and classroom instruction. As an example, teachers are drilled in understanding the human mind’s 10-minute attention span and formulating lessons and activities accordingly to get the most out of every minute from each student.

DSST’s unique record of success at achieving both remarkable academic performance and significant academic growth (with a majority minority student population, and nearly half in poverty) makes clear that this is a model worth replicating. 100 percent of students attending a four-year college? More high schools should aspire to that sort of record.

The wonderful news is that the model very well may be replicated within Denver. DSST is seeking formal approval from the school board to expand to five campuses, as the school will create its own charter school management organization to oversee them all.

My Education Policy Center friends were very impressed by their tour, and especially with the two student guides they met. Each student has to do an internship in their junior year. One of them had worked at the Department of Agriculture unit in the same building as the Independence Institute offices. Small world.

You can learn more about all your school choice options at our School Choice for Kids website.