This report analyzes changing racial composition in a comparable subset of schools to enable policy-relevant comparisons between charter and magnet schools. It reports the levels of segregation and diversity in these two systems, which is important because of strong evidence that diverse schools produce educational gains and substantial lifelong…

This is the latest report in the State of the Superintendent series, an annual report intended to provide a reliable, recurring snapshot of the U.S. public school superintendency. Since the American School District Panel began in fall 2020, researchers have periodically surveyed superintendents about their job, focusing on job-related stressors,…

House Report 116-450 includes a provision for the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) to report on Charter Schools Program (CSP) grants, with a particular focus on charter schools that eventually closed or never opened. This report examines the extent to which CSP-recipient schools stayed open or closed compared to non-recipient charter…

Multistate networks are arguably the purest expression of the charter sector's original promise as an engine of innovation within the public school system. On its face, this contention may appear somewhat counterintuitive; the proliferation of schools affiliated with charter management organizations (CMOs) that have siphoned market share away from…

Charter schools are public schools established under charters, typically with state or local entities. In return for more flexibility and autonomy, charter schools must meet specific accountability standards. This briefing from the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) describes: (1) the challenges charter schools face when attempting to…

The Washington State Board of Education (SBE) issues an annual report to the Governor, the Legislature, and the public, in accordance with the Charter School Act, RCW 28A.710.250. The statute requires the annual charter school report to include the following: (1) The performance of the state's charter schools during the prior school year,…

With their increased autonomy and flexibility, charter schools can be a promising educational option for students with disabilities. However, during the inception of the charter movement, very few people were focused on ensuring that charter school policies addressed the needs of students with disabilities. Since its creation in 2013, the Center…

In fall 2022 and winter 2023, Education Forward DC and Venture Philanthropy Partners+Raise DC supported a cohort of Washington, D.C., public charter schools (PCS) in administering selected domains of the Panorama Social Emotional Learning (SEL) survey to provide educators with data on well-being for students in grades 3-12. The organizations…

This report is the third of three annual reports evaluating the implementation and effects of two Delaware weighted funding programs designed to support Delaware's 42 school districts and charter schools (also known as local education agencies [LEAs]) enrolling students experiencing poverty (SEPs) and multilingual learners (MLs) during the…

The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) is required to submit this report to the Legislature regarding the status of existing charter schools, the number of petitions for new charter schools, and the action taken by school boards and DPI on petitions for new charter schools (see Wis. Stat. §115.28 (49)). This report offers the results…

This report emphasizes the importance of state actions in improving educational opportunities for historically marginalized students, particularly those with disabilities. It highlights the existing achievement gaps and challenges faced by students with disabilities, especially those from minority groups. The report suggests that states have a…

Virtual charter schools--public charter schools that operate entirely or mostly online--largely depend on self-paced, asynchronous (accessed at any time) instruction and often rely on parents to act as instructors, according to the US Government Accountability Office's (GAO's) review of a nationally representative sample of virtual charter school…

State policymakers can help public charter schools overcome obstacles to their stability, growth and ability to provide high-quality options to students--simply by providing these schools with access to affordable financing to build their own facilities. Ownership is a critical option to address charter school facility needs. Most charter schools…

The U.S. Department of Education has projected enrollment declines over the next decade, leading to budget cuts for school districts, which will be particularly impactful in urban and rural areas serving vulnerable students. As federal COVID-19 funds expire, districts will face challenges in cutting costs, potentially leading to layoffs or school…

The Department of Education Charter Schools Program (CSP) provides grants to open or expand charter schools. Enrollment in charter schools that received CSP grants grew from 213,576 to 1,380,530 students from school years 2006-07 to 2020-21. This report examines (1) enrollment growth at new charter schools that received CSP grants compared to…