Billings public schools this month received approval to form three new charter schools.
This comes as the school board trustees voted Monday night (January 22) in favor of closing Washington Elementary school and integrating the students into other schools in the fall.
Washington School will be turned into the Washington Innovation Center and is planned to house two of the three charter schools for high school students.
The charter schools are a project implemented by the district’s new superintendent Dr. Erwin Garcia, who came to School District 2 in June of 2023.
YPR’s Orlinda Worthington sat down with Dr. Garcia earlier this month (January) and asked about the need for the new charter schools he proposed.
Thank you for visiting with me Dr. Garcia. You have mentioned four top priorities as you lead Billings Public Schools: cultivating student talent, safety, meeting the needs of diverse students and providing post secondary opportunities. Explain how three new charter schools play into those priorities.
“Absolutely, looking at our data, there is an opportunity for us to increase the proficiency and the quality of instruction that happens in our classrooms. There are gaps evident by the different areas of town. Whatever you have the most poverty, that's where you have the most challenges. Whatever you have the most diversity, that's when you have the most challenges. So when it comes to cultivating talent we have to also think about opportunities for our students and pathways for them.”
There is a career center in Billings, how will these charter schools differ?
“Only 2000 of our students benefit from the career center. But that's only 2000 out of 5600. The Career Center serves mostly students that are juniors and seniors. So many students want to engage in the career pathways, but they have to wait two years. So then if you don't have the desire, you don't have the ability, the competencies to do well in school, then we see what we see 260 dropouts.”
Let’s talk a little bit about the focus of the three charter schools.
“So we have the Early College High School, which will allow students to obtain an associate's degree on the same day they graduate from high school.
With an associates degree, they can either go to college with two years already in their pockets, or they can go to the career pathway where, if they have degrees, that puts them in a good spot to look for career opportunities.
You know, in a city such as Billings, when we have 600 homeless kids, 260 foster care students, and you have students that are the main providers of income to their households, we have to think about opportunities for them.
We also applied for the Opportunity School. It is a proficiency based model. For instance, we teach a course that involves repairing computers, fixing computers, and then you incorporate reading, math, and science with those skills. If you meet this qualification with these skills you obtain credit.”
The third charter school you said will be the Newcomer Center because Billings is designated as a resettlement city, with about 100 immigrants expected in February or March. No way to tell for sure how many of those will be students but you do want it to be a place where they can not only learn academics - but civics.
“You know, we pledge to the flag. We honor our soldiers. We have patriotism. So these things we have to teach. Um, the view of people from Afghanistan or from Ukraine are very distinct from the views of Americans. And we want to be able to allow these students in middle and high school to learn the language, academics, and the civics part. So they engage actively in high school and they can also become active members of society.”
Superintendent, thank you for your time. I look forward to speaking with you again.
Thank you so much. Appreciate your invitation.
Dr. Erwin Garcia, superintendent of the state’s largest school district in Billings.
