Yes, Washington should give charter schools a chance, and the Tri-Cities is big enough to have a charter school. Charter schools put motivated students, who have motivated parents, with motivated teachers. I suggest the Tri-Cities would benefit from either an arts or a foreign affairs-oriented school to go with the STEM school, Delta High. Two more thoughts: 1) Consider a voucher program for students attending private schools as well as charter schools. 2) Studies have shown that the key factor in determining a class' performance is the teacher (teacher competence and dedication). However, I have to believe that the key factor determining an individual student's performance is the student's (and his or her parents') motivation and dedication. Education is a four-way team effort: student, parent, teacher, community.

-- Chris Wollam, Richland