With Rockford's incarceration rate amongst black males higher than their graduation rate, Rockford Mayor Larry Morrissey says it's time the city gets involved with our schools.

"We've got community members that don't feel any ownership for the district and often times we find ourselves criticizing instead of being on the field in the sense were moving in the right direction, the goal is integrated governance the goal is alignment," Morrissey says.

That alignment includes appointing, not electing school board members. There's research being done now, next voters will voice their opinions on an advisory referendum. After that, Morrissey plans to lobby Springfield to allow these changes.

"We really need to be focusing all of our resources on the schools and that's gonna take some resources to be looking at a referendum to go to a place where we'd be asking Springfield I'm really pessimistic we could get that accomplished," says School Board President Nancy Kalchbrenner.

One thing Kalchbrenner does agree with is bringing charter schools to Rockford. The District is expected to submit an application this fall with hopes of them coming next school year.

"They set an environment that's extremely challenging and every kid no matter how tough their background is, they're expected to be awesome, not mediocre," Morrissey says.

Morrissey says charter schools are more flexible and hold everyone more accountable than public schools. Plus, since there's no teacher's union, a cash bonus gives teachers incentive to get parents involved.

Morrissey says charter schools would work like a lottery system. And would not replace any existing schools.