Promises of smaller class sizes and a more customized education prompted parents of more than 100 Elk Grove students to sign a petition for a charter school last week.

The petition for The Grove Leadership Academy is expected to be presented to the Elk Grove Unified School District Board next month.

Public non-tuition charter schools are becoming common in California, with more than 900 in the state. But Elk Grove Unified – Northern California's largest school district – is an anomaly. It has only two charter schools, and one – an independent study program – was started by the district.

"That speaks to the quality of our schools," said Elizabeth Graswich, district spokeswoman. She said that Elk Grove Unified has received few petitions for charters.

Organizers of The Grove, who include Elk Grove City Councilman Gary Davis, said area parents need more choices.

The charter will focus on building leadership skills and use a curriculum based on Dr. E.D. Hirsch's Core Knowledge Sequence. It will be modeled after the academically successful Rocklin Academy.

"We feel like its time to bring one into Elk Grove," said charter board member Geri Keskeys, who calls herself the school's visionary.

Keskeys, a longtime Elk Grove teacher, said students at the charter will be taught to be civic leaders and will do community service projects. Parents must contribute 40 hours a year to the school.

The charter's board plans to open next school year with 200 K-7 students and to eventually expand through 12th grade. The school will offer site-based classes, as well as home schooling.

Organizers made their proposal to parents in a meeting room in an Elk Grove bowling alley Thursday night. They promised class sizes of about 24, after-school learning labs, a theater company, participation in academic competitions, summer academies and placement in classes based on ability rather than grade level.

Kristina Ho-Ruan signed the petition because she wants her fourth-grade son in a school where he could be placed in advanced math and still catch up in English language arts.

Heather Delfs signed, too. She also wants a more customized education and smaller class sizes for her three children.

Elk Grove Education Association President Maggie Ellis said there is no need for a charter school in the district.

"Usually you see charters in a district because you see a need to improve the curriculum, rigor and expectations," she said. "Personally, I have a difficult time with charters coming into districts where there isn't a need."

Ellis said the charter school puts the district "at risk" financially. Most school districts throughout the region have had a financial one-two punch from state budget cuts and the siphoning of funding to charter schools.

Charter schools are part of the public school system and receive state funding based on the number of students they enroll.

Natomas Unified – where Davis was a school board member – has been hurt by the hundreds of students that have been siphoned off to charter schools.

But Davis, who is running for Elk Grove mayor, said the impact on the school district will be nominal.

"It's 400 kids out of 60,000," Davis said.

Davis, political director of Ed Voice – a nonprofit education advocacy group – said charter schools are allowed more freedom and flexibility in the classroom. "A traditional school can't do what a charter school does," he said. "It's not better. It's different."

The school board will schedule public hearings before deciding whether to approve the charter. If denied, the charter group has avenues of appeal.

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