public charter schools: leading public education to higher levels of student achievement

Public Charter Schools: Leading Public Education to Higher Levels of Student Achievement

© 2011 National Alliance for Charter Schools 2

Public Charter Schools

• Charter schools are public schools that are free to be more innovative and are

held accountable for improved student achievement.

• Charter schools cannot charge tuition, teach religion, or have admission

requirements.


Public Charter Schools

Flexibility: Charter schools are free to make timely decisions about developing curriculum,

structuring the school day, and hiring teachers that meet the needs of their students.

Accountability: Charter schools operate within a multi-tiered accountability system – to parents, to

authorizers, and to the state – that leads to quality schools and achievement.

Choice: Parents select the school their child attends. Teachers choose to work in the school, most

often for the professional satisfaction and the opportunity to shape school policy.

Partnerships with Parents and Communities: Parents and community members are welcomed in

charter schools and involved in the day-to-day operation of them.

Innovation: Charters’ flexibility to adapt to the educational needs of children often leads to

innovative methods of teaching and of operating schools.


History

• First charter law passed in Minnesota in 1991

• First charter school opened in Minnesota in 1992

• 41 states and D.C. have enacted charter laws

• Maine was the last state to enact a charter law (June 2011)


The Numbers

• More than 5,200 charters, serving over 1.8 million students.

• 400 to 500 new charters open each year.

• 150,000 to 200,000 new charter students enroll each year.

• Almost 400,000 students on waiting lists.


The Numbers

• 4% of the nation’s public school students attend charters

• AZ: 12%

• New Orleans: 62%


Who Are Charters Serving?

• 63% of charter students are non-white (vs. 43% in traditional public schools)

• 52% of charter students quality for free and reduced price lunch (vs. 45% in

traditional public schools)



• Students with an Individualized Education Plan: 12% in charters vs. 12% in

non-charters

• Students who are Limited English Proficient: 17% in charters vs. 11% in non-

charters



• Research overwhelmingly shows that charters typically serve students who are

either academically behind their traditional public school peers or at the same

academic level

• 55% in cities, 21% in suburbs, 8% in towns, and 16% in rural areas


How Are Charters Doing?

• Charter schools are usually among the top performers in their districts.

• They’re shattering low expectations and breaking through long-standing barriers that have

prevented too many students from achieving educational success.



• The National Charter School Research Project released a meta-analysis of

charter school studies in 2008.

• This report is the most solid review to date of the empirical research on how

public charter schools perform compared to traditional public schools.

• Studies that use the best data and the most sophisticated research techniques

show charters outperforming comparable traditional public schools.



• CREDO Study of 16 states

• Mixed findings for charters

• Charter performance varies by state

• Re-emphasized the importance of how state laws address autonomy,

accountability, and funding


Strong Laws Matter – A Lot

• National Alliance released a new model charter school law in 2009 that

serves as the new barometer for high-quality public charter school laws.



• Allow Conversions and Start-Ups

• Allow Charters Statewide, but Give Preference to Charter Applicants in Areas

with Low-Performing Schools

• Allow Multiple Paths to Approval for Charter Applicants



• Provide Maximum Autonomy

• Ensure Strong Accountability

• Provide Equitable Funding


Myths and Facts

Myth: Charters aren’t public schools.

Fact: Charters cannot teach religion, charge tuition, and have admission

requirements.

Fact: Charters must be open to all students who want to attend; if more students

enroll than there are seats available, schools must conduct lotteries to fill seats.


Myths and Facts

Myth: Charters cherry pick their students.

Fact: Charters cannot have admission requirements.

Fact: Charters must be open to all students who want to attend; if more students enroll than

there are seats available, schools must conduct lotteries to fill seats.

Fact: Research shows that charter students are often further behind academically than their

peers who stay in traditional public schools.


Myths and Facts

Myth: Charters drain money from the public schools.

Fact: Moving dollars from one public school to another.

Fact: Bring new resources into public education.

Fact: Can have an immediate, positive fiscal impact on the broader community – as well as a

long-term, positive fiscal impact if they are successful.

© 2011 National Alliance for Charter Schools

Myths and Facts

Myth: Charters aren’t accountable.

Fact: Charters must meet state standards, take state tests, and participate in state

accountability systems

Fact: Charters must enter into a charter contract with authorizer that outlines performance

measures that charters must meet in order to stay open (academic, financial, and operational)

© 2011 National Alliance for Charter Schools

Myths and Facts

Myth: Charters undermine local control.

Fact: By giving power to parents, teachers, and principals to run schools to best meet student

needs, charter schools represent the strongest form of local control in public education period.

Fact: In most states, local school boards have the ability to authorize charter schools (most

often in addition to other entities like postsecondary institutions).

public charter schools: leading public education to higher levels of student achievement

Documents

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