Mired in a cycle of enrollment losses and budget cuts, St. Paul Public Schools leaders are eager to play offense in the arena of school choice.

The district’s share of K-12 students in St. Paul has fallen to 63 percent from 72 percent in the past decade, according to a recent presentation to the school board. Students are fleeing mainly to charter schools but also to nearby public school districts through Minnesota’s liberal open-enrollment law.

Board members say the district has been slow to react. And while they don’t share one vision for how to turn things around, they agree it’s time to start competing.

Please read more here.