Abstract: This paper argues that strong charter school laws should be judged not by the amount of autonomy they grant or the conditions present that lead to increased numbers of charter schools, but rather, by the positive outcomes they provide. Considering data from a federally-sponsored study and findings from nine large-scale evaluations of charter schools, the author identifies and explains the key features of strong charter school laws and state-level factors that are related to strong laws. The characteristics of slow growth, bipartisan support, rigorous approval and oversight processes, technical assistance provision, and sufficient funding are found to more likely to lead to successful charter school reform.
Resource Type: Paper Presented at Conference Resource Format: PDF File Target Audience: Authorizers, Founders, Policy Makers, Researchers Resource Topic: Legislation & Policy, Legal Issues
Print
This Page