Abstract: This report evaluates 38 comparative analyses of charter school and traditional public school performance. The study finds that the quality of available research varies widely and the results, though inconclusive, are encouraging. Of the 38 studies reviewed, 17 look only at a snapshot of performance at one or more points in time. Nine show charter schools generally underperforming traditional public schools. The other eight show comparable, mixed, or positive results for charter schools. The other 21 studies look at change in performance over time. Of these, nine find that overall gains in charter schools were larger than other public schools; three find higher charter gains in certain categories of schools; and, six find comparable gains in charter and traditional public schools. The researcher concludes that more high-quality research is needed and that charter schooling is an important experiment worth continuing.
Resource Type: Research/ Reports (Non Federal) Resource Format: PDF File Target Audience: Authorizers, Founders, Administrators, Teachers, Parents, Policy Makers, Researchers Resource Topic: Accountability, Achieving Standards, Effectiveness of Charter Schools
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