Comparison of Charter Legislation: Thirty-three states and the District of Columbia. ( 1999, June, RPP International ) One of a series of reports of the National Study of Charter Schools sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education, this report provides a comparative overview of the charter laws of the 33 states and the District of Columbia that had enacted legislation as of October 1998. The 75 page report can be downloaded as a PDF file (383KB) using the Adobe Acrobat Reader plug-in.

National Study of Charter Schools: First-Year Report. ( 1997, US Department of Education ) This report is the first in a series of four conducted by RPP International. It provides important statistical and demographic information about the 1995-1996 school year. Some of the findings were (1) 60 percent of charter schools enroll fewer than 200 students; (2) 60 percent of charter schools are start-ups.

National Study of Charter Schools: Fourth-Year Report. ( 2000, U.S. Department of Education ) This is the final installment of a four-year study by RPP International, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education. This document provides descriptive information on charter schools that were operating during the 1998-99 school year. It focuses on growth trends, characteristics of charter schools and their students, reasons for founding, challenges to implementation, and autonomy and accountability.

National Study of Charter Schools: Second-Year Report. ( 1998, US Department of Education ) This report is the second installment of a four year study by RPP International. It focuses on implementation issues, evidence of improved student achievement, and the impact of charter schools on other public schools. Growth trends and student demographic information are examined, and policy issues such as lessons learned and looking ahead are also discussed.

National Study of Charter Schools: Third-Year Report. ( 1999, U.S. Department of Education ) This report marks the third installment of a four year study by RPP International and the Center for Applied Research and Educational Improvement. The report focuses on growth trends, school and student characteristics, challenges to implemenation, and accountability. The findings presented in the report rely on three waves of telephone surveys to all cooperating charter schools that were open to children during the 1997-1998 school year, visits to 91 field sites across the country, and extensive analysis of state charter laws.