A high-poverty public school tries charter-type reforms

With the first homegrown charter school in Tacoma now enrolling students, the question of whether we can we reform our public schools to work better for all students is as important as ever. 

The answer to that question is up for debate. An article from Al Jazeera America takes an in-depth look at the philosophy behind the innovative public school experiment, its successes, and more recent challenges.

The Lincoln Center has extended hours for students and rigorous academic expectations, along with a focus on working with families and challenges at home, and on building "soft skills" like grit and self-discipline. Those high expectations have paid off with imporved graduation and college acceptance rates.

But the school faces challenges, too, including a lawsuit alleging that some underperforming students were pushed out of the school. Lincoln is also still classified as "failing" under No Child Left Behind.