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S2 E3 The Law That Changed Everything – The Charter Story with Ember Reichgott Junge
In this powerful episode of Bold By Choice, host Vashaunta Harris and Jim Goenner sit down with Ember Reichgott Junge — the Minnesota State Senator who authored the nation’s first charter school law — and charter historian Don Cooper. Together, they revisit the story of how one bold law sparked a national movement, reshaping the landscape of public education.
Ember takes listeners behind the scenes of the late 1980s and early 1990s, weaving together the context, opposition, compromises, and breakthroughs that led to the passage of the first charter school law in 1991. From the Nation at Risk report to Governor Rudy Perpich’s reforms, the Itasca Conference dinner napkin sketch, and finally the emotional “worst day of her career” that ended in legislative victory, Ember’s story reveals how bold leadership, persistence, and principled compromise created the conditions for change.
Episode Highlights:
How A Nation at Risk and Governor Perpich’s reforms set the stage for chartering.
The pivotal role of the Citizens League and Ted Kolderie in advancing bold ideas.
Ember’s personal journey: navigating resistance from unions, moderates, and political allies.
The tense final days of 1991, when the law nearly died — and then passed by just three votes.
Leadership lessons from Ember’s story: compromise is not defeat, structure must change before strategy, and timing matters.
Whether you’re an educator, policymaker, or advocate, this episode offers timeless lessons in courage, resilience, and system redesign. Ember reminds us that laws aren’t just ink on paper — they’re ideas that can change lives.
Show Notes & Resources:
Zero Chance of Passage: The Pioneering Charter School Story (2012)
Remarks by Sen. Ember Reichgott Junge to the Democratic Leadership Conference (1991)
“Involving Families in Education” – A White House Panel (1995)
A Conversation between Ted Kolderie and Ember Reichgott Junge (2018): Chartering Origins | Why and How | Chartering Policy and Advocacy
Interview of Ember Reichgott Junge (2023)
Brief Amici Curiae of Former Elected and Appointed Officials, St. Isidore v. Oklahoma (2025)
Oklahoma Charter School Board v. Drummond and St. Isidore of Seville School v. Drummond Oral Argument
Additional Reading: Chartering A Better Course (book); Zero Rights of Passage (available via donation — inquire through the Charter Library).
Listen now to uncover the true story behind the first charter school law — a story of vision, resistance, compromise, and bold leadership.
View all episodes
By National Charter Schools InstituteIn this powerful episode of Bold By Choice, host Vashaunta Harris and Jim Goenner sit down with Ember Reichgott Junge — the Minnesota State Senator who authored the nation’s first charter school law — and charter historian Don Cooper. Together, they revisit the story of how one bold law sparked a national movement, reshaping the landscape of public education.
Ember takes listeners behind the scenes of the late 1980s and early 1990s, weaving together the context, opposition, compromises, and breakthroughs that led to the passage of the first charter school law in 1991. From the Nation at Risk report to Governor Rudy Perpich’s reforms, the Itasca Conference dinner napkin sketch, and finally the emotional “worst day of her career” that ended in legislative victory, Ember’s story reveals how bold leadership, persistence, and principled compromise created the conditions for change.
Episode Highlights:
How A Nation at Risk and Governor Perpich’s reforms set the stage for chartering.
The pivotal role of the Citizens League and Ted Kolderie in advancing bold ideas.
Ember’s personal journey: navigating resistance from unions, moderates, and political allies.
The tense final days of 1991, when the law nearly died — and then passed by just three votes.
Leadership lessons from Ember’s story: compromise is not defeat, structure must change before strategy, and timing matters.
Whether you’re an educator, policymaker, or advocate, this episode offers timeless lessons in courage, resilience, and system redesign. Ember reminds us that laws aren’t just ink on paper — they’re ideas that can change lives.
Show Notes & Resources:
Zero Chance of Passage: The Pioneering Charter School Story (2012)
Remarks by Sen. Ember Reichgott Junge to the Democratic Leadership Conference (1991)
“Involving Families in Education” – A White House Panel (1995)
A Conversation between Ted Kolderie and Ember Reichgott Junge (2018): Chartering Origins | Why and How | Chartering Policy and Advocacy
Interview of Ember Reichgott Junge (2023)
Brief Amici Curiae of Former Elected and Appointed Officials, St. Isidore v. Oklahoma (2025)
Oklahoma Charter School Board v. Drummond and St. Isidore of Seville School v. Drummond Oral Argument
Additional Reading: Chartering A Better Course (book); Zero Rights of Passage (available via donation — inquire through the Charter Library).
Listen now to uncover the true story behind the first charter school law — a story of vision, resistance, compromise, and bold leadership.