On average, the funding gap between charter schools and traditional schools is 22 percent, or $1,800 per pupil. The average charter school ends up with a total funding shortfall of nearly half a million dollars.
Source: Charter School Funding: Inequity’s Next Frontier
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Extraordinary Audit of the Options for Youth, Inc. and Opportunities for Learning, Inc. Charter Schools
This California state audit of Options for Youth and Opportunities for Learning, a chain of charter schools that serve approximately 15,000 students, finds widespread accounting problems and conflicts of interest. The audit, initiated in conjunction with superintendents of several county offices of education, found that due to noncompliance with state laws, the OFL/OFY schools over-claimed more than $57 million than the schools were entitled to in state funding over a period of three years (2002-05). The audit also revealed excessive compensation for the founders of the charter schools, mixing of businesses that are privately owned with public schools that are controlled by the same individuals, and instances of nepotism. The report recommends that the California Department of Education try to recover the overpayments.
Texas Open Enrollment Charter Schools: 2004-05 Evaluation
This report examines performance, demographics, satisfaction, and the financial impact of the 192 open-enrollment charter schools operating in Texas in 2004-05. Academic comparisons of charters and traditional public schools generally favored traditional public schools. For campuses rated under standard procedures, small percentages of charter campuses received Exemplary (2%) or Recognized (13%) status. Traditional public school campuses, in contrast, had higher percentages of Exemplary and Recognized ratings (a combined 30%). Proportionally more charter campuses earned Academically Unacceptable ratings (21% vs. 3%). The researchers, however, found that continuous enrollment in charter schools had a significant positive effect on achievement. Controlling for students' prior academic and social backgrounds, they found that consecutive years spent in a charter school was a positive predictor of language arts and math scores.
Are Charter School Parents More Satisfied With Schools?
This document compares the satisfaction levels of parents with children in the DC public charter and district sectors to assess the effect of charter school enrollment on parent satisfaction. Controlling for socioeconomic status, education levels, and church attendance, the researchers find that charter school parents evaluate their children's schools more highly than do parents with children in traditional district schools. Looking at parent attitudes toward their child's school over time, however, the researchers found charter parents' satisfaction generally declines. By the end of five years of enrollment in a charter school, there is only a slight difference between charter and district school parental satisfaction.
Annual Report of Schools Chartered by the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 2004-05
This evaluation of the charters sponsored by the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee offers information on demographics, educational programs, and performance. In all of the schools, the majority of students obtained proficiency status or greater on state assessments in most subjects. Two to three year trend performance is mixed. The document does not offer comparative data of surrounding schools, district schools, or average state performance.
Baseline Evaluation of Georgia's Charter Schools Program: Summary Report
This evaluation of Georgia's 37 charter schools, in operation in 2004-05, offers data on the schools' performance, demographics, and satisfaction rates. Examining AYP and state test results, the researchers find that charter students are achieving at similar levels as their peers statewide and in comparison neighboring schools, with variation by subject area, grade, and length of time attending charter schools. Data suggest that students enrolled in some charters perform better than their traditional school peers. The charter schools are more diverse racially than all public schools (56% minority enrollment in charters vs. 50% in all public schools) and minority enrollment appears to be increasing. Economic diversity is less in charter schools (e.g., 41% of charter students qualify for free or reduced lunch vs. 46% in all public schools). Charter parent satisfaction continues to run high, though traditional school comparison data are unavailable.
Annual Report on the Status of Charter Schools in New York State
This annual report provides information on student enrollment, student performance, and finance issues for the 61 charter schools in operation in New York during the 2004-05 school year. It found that the majority of charter schools outperformed their districts. For example, 76 percent of charter schools outperformed their district on the 2005 4th grade math exam and 67 percent of charter schools outperformed their district on the 2005 8th grade math exam and 8th grade English Language Arts test. The state's charter schools are making significant gains on state assessments as well. Charter schools increased performance on the state's 4th grade English Language Arts exam at almost two times the average gain of all schools across the state (16.8% gain vs. 8.8% gain). The report also examined fiscal impact on districts and found that impact was negligible in New York City, but greater in areas such as Albany.
Back to School: Ten Things You Should Know About Charter Schools
This brief presents ten facts for charter advocates to share with community members, the media, and local and state policymakers to illustrate that charter schools are public schools. Facts include "58 percent of charter school students are minority and 52 percent are eligible for free and reduced-price lunch" and "many charter schools are helping to close the achievement gap for low-income and minority students."
14th Annual California Charter Schools Conference, March 27-30 in San Diego, CA
The 14th Annual California Charter Schools Conference will take place March 27-30, 2007 at the Town and Country Resort & Convention Center in San Diego, CA with a focus on "Teaching and Learning in High-Quality Charter Public Schools." The conference will offer sessions that share strategies and best practices that can be utilized to improve student achievement and charter school operations. A Call for Presentations is open until October 20. For more information, send an email to conference@charterassociation.org or call 213.244.1446, ext. 2201.
Online Call for Presentations and Registration for 2007 National Charter Schools Conference
The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools will host the 2007 National Charter Schools Conference from April 24 – 27 at the Albuquerque Convention Center in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The online Call for Presentations proposal submission system as well as conference registration and hotel reservations for the 2007 conference has begun. The conference website allows users to register, make hotel reservations, and/or submit a presentation proposal. The deadline for presentation proposal submissions is October 16th. For questions, send an e-mail to nationalconference@publiccharters.org or call 206-463-3344.
NACSA 2006 Annual Conference, October 23-24 in San Diego, California
Register by October 18 for the National Association for Charter School Authorizers (NACSA) 6th Annual Conference, October 23-24 in San Diego, CA. NACSA’s Conference is designed to offer highly interactive and practice-oriented sessions on issues important to all who are dedicated to advancing quality charter schools and school change. Topics will include the essentials of effective charter school authorizing, measuring academic performance, and using chartering as a strategy to restructure low-performing schools. Tom Vander Ark of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will deliver the keynote address.
High-Quality Charter Schools at Scale in Big Cities: Results of a Symposium
Bringing charters to scale remains a major challenge. To learn more about barriers to the expansion of high-quality public charter schools and how they might be removed, the National Charter School Research Project at the University of Washington and the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools convened a meeting of leaders from charter school management organizations, school districts, and foundations earlier this year. This report summarizes the discussions from that meeting and provides concrete recommendations for those interested in creating a more hospitable environment for expanding charters in cities and nationwide. The report argues for building a coordinated infrastructure to support quality charter schools at scale, including concentrated investments, revised state laws, and collaboration to address leadership, human resources, and other common provider challenges. This is the first of three NCSRP reports on charter school scale-up.
Virtual Back to School Day, September 6
On September 6, the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools will host Virtual Back to School Day, a series of live online chats with charter school experts who will address the most important issues facing charter schools today, including funding, facilities, legislated caps, and much more. Be sure to check out the Alliance website next week for more information.
Ninth Annual North Carolina Charter School Conference, September 27-29 in Durham, NC
The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction is holding its annual public charter school conference September 28-29 at the Sheraton Imperial Hotel and Convention Center in Durham, NC. This year's theme is "Leading for Results." Sessions on classroom management, technology, innovative practices, and other education topics will be available.
National Conference on Charter School Research, September 28-29 in Nashville, Tennessee
The National Research and Development Center on School Choice is hosting a national conference on charter school research for researchers and policymakers. The conference, "Charter Schools: What Fosters Growth and Outcomes" will be held at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee from September 28-29, 2006. Nationally recognized education experts will discuss new charter school research related to teaching and learning in charter schools, governance and finance, and charter school effects on student achievement.
Progressive Educator Networking Conference, September 22-23 in Mankato, MN
Several charter school leaders will appear in presentations at the next Progressive Educator Networking Conference to be held at Minnesota State University Mankato on September 22-23, 2006. The focus of the conference is on project-based learning. Faculty from the following schools -- MET school, EdVisions school, Expeditionary Learning Outward Bound, and Wisconsin River Academy -- will participate in panel presentations with other school leaders.
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