I ask because teachers in secondary schools seem to be under much more pressure to ensure their students pass standardised exams to enter higher education, whereas there's much more wiggle-room for alternative methodologies at younger ages. It'd be good to see some innovation at the secondary level, rather than just attempting to keep up with what examiners require.
Minnesota's charter system is (or should be) a model for other states. There's lots of interesting education innovation going on here. Lots of failures too, but that's what happens when you open the doors to innovation.
Besides being a co-op, Avalon is a project-based learning environment. This requires a great deal more personal responsibility on the part of students for their own educations. It wouldn't work for most students, but for those who do well there, it shines gloriously. That's what I love about charters, really - the opportunity for educational diversity, and finding models that work well for different kinds of students and different kinds of teachers.