Examines difficulties in developing clear charter school standards, capacity, and expertise, recognizing the charter school movement as the conflation of several sometimes contradictory ideas; discussing tensions between competing versions of charter schooling; considering four modifications that could render charter regulation more effective; and…

Despite the premise that charter schools are to be given flexibility in return for being held accountable for their results, few charter schools have actually been closed because of poor academic performance. The author sees the problem as a political one: the differing stakes between charter school families and members of the broader community.…

This paper describes the United States' first public voucher program, which was launched in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1990. It discusses the three phases that school competition has undergone in the Milwaukee Public School (MPS) district. These phases are a period of minimal competition from 1990-95, the passage of new charter-school legislation…

Consideration of choice-based reform in educational governance rests heavily on the assumption that markets will improve school performance. Nonetheless, little empirical research has examined how educational organizations respond to competition. This paper hypothesizes that administrators are likely to respond by adopting governance…

This book examines the impact of school vouchers and charter schools on three urban school districts, exploring the causes of behaviors observed and explaining how the structure of competition will likely shape the future of public education. The book draws on case studies from three districts at the center of the school choice debate: Milwaukee,…

This paper examines the genesis of Arizona's charter school law and discusses the key features of that law. Drawing on published sources and interviews conducted from November 1997 to March 2000 with 46 Arizona educators and policymakers, the paper details the conditions that prompted the broad push for charter schools. The text describes the…

Argues that public schools must change their underlying culture and rules to benefit from competition from charter schools and voucher programs. Discusses differences between educational marketplace and traditional economic models, finding schools less responsive to competitive pressures. Analyzes factors constraining competition and offers…

The purpose of this policy report is to bring coherence to discussions about school reform and to encourage policymakers to use a consistent metric when judging whether reform proposals are serving the needs of children and the nation. The current confusion and policy debates over what is a public school--brought about by recent educational…