Abstract: Students enrolled in charter schools behave better than those in other public schools, according to preliminary findings from Scott Imberman, an economist at the University of Houston. Examining disciplinary, performance and demographic data from a large, unidentified school district that has experienced great growth in its charter schools since 1997, he finds that charter schools generate improvements in student behavior and attendance. The largest positive impact is seen in start-up charters rather than charter conversions. Students whose behavior improves when they enroll in charter schools, however, tend to lose those good habits if they return to non-charters.
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