As measures of developed verbal and mathematical abilities that are important for success in college, SAT scores are useful in making decisions about individual students and assessing their academic preparation. Because of the increasing public interest in educational accountability, aggregate test data continue to be widely publicized and…

Charter schools are public schools that are granted increased autonomy by states in exchange for meeting specified academic goals. State law determines who approves the formation of a charter school, often the board of education. As public schools, charter schools are subject to the performance requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLBA)…

Discusses the effect of school choice. Economic theory suggests it would change the profession dramatically. Findings from research on traditional school choice and charter schools indicate that enhanced competition and choice raise demands for high aptitude, math and science skills, subject area expertise, effort, and independence, creating an…

This article is a response to Fierros and Blomberg's article on "Restrictions and Race in Special Education Placements in For-Profit and Non-Profit Charter Schools in California." It compliments these scholars for confirming through their findings that ethnically diverse students with special education needs endure segregationist…

This special report is a supplement to a series of special education primers created to inform state officials, authorizers and charter school operators about special education in the charter sector. The primer series also provides tools to help these stakeholders build charter school capacity to provide special education and related services. In…

Bringing charters to scale remains a major challenge. To learn more about barriers to the expansion of high-quality public charter schools and how they might be removed, the National Charter School Research Project (NCSRP) at the University of Washington and the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools convened a meeting of leaders from…

The school choice debate evokes compelling arguments by advocates and opponents alike. As the controversy continues, urban school districts are losing significant resources to charter schools. Districts seeking to compete in the race to reclaim dollars lost to the school choice battle should emulate the factors that have propelled parents to seek…

"The 2009 Legislative Briefing" is a topical summary of actions during the 2009 legislative sessions that affect education in the 16 SREB states. Topics include: state budgets and the economy; tax and revenue; teacher and faculty pay raises; retirement systems; issues affecting teachers and education leaders; health and safety;…

For the thirty-sixth year, the Research and Theory Division of the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) is sponsoring the publication of these Proceedings. Papers published in this volume were presented at the annual AECT Convention in Anaheim, California. The Proceedings of AECT's Convention are published in two…

Prospective founders of charter schools must gain the approval of a public organization empowered by state law to grant charters. Common examples of chartering entities include state and local boards of education, boards of public universities and community colleges, and specially created charter-school boards. This guide is designed to help…

The Preschool Teacher Survey was designed to gather information on the experience of preschool teachers in the Detroit Public Schools (DPS) and their perceptions of program effectiveness regarding student cognitive development, school readiness, parent involvement, and stability of classroom enrollment. The 12-item survey was distributed,…

In the last half-decade Florida has been in tune with, or on the cutting edge of, several national trends in education. Florida has a comprehensive testing program, and has created a range of options for students who seem to be poorly served by traditional public schools. Three Florida programs provide scholarships or vouchers to children from…

Examines the charter school concept as a means for educational improvement. Concerns over quality and equity are briefly discussed, and reasons why educators and researchers need to be included in the debate are highlighted. Suggests that charter schools can pilot new teaching strategies and curriculum offerings, and introduce productive…

At a time of growing concern around the U.S. about the academic accountability of charter schools, Ohio has mandated a new regime of testing solely for those schools that may force the shutdown of repeated low performers. Under a new state law, Ohio charter schools that meet certain criteria will have to give an extra set of standardized tests at…

The charter school movement turns 14 this year, and its behavior, some might say, is "developmentally appropriate." Unruly and temperamental, impassioned and energetic, growing in fits and starts and fiercely independent, even friends and supporters aren't quite sure what to do with it. And now comes the apex of adolescence: the identity…