From zero in 1991 to 3,800 eighteen years later, charter schools (public schools under contract) today educate well over a million students. This updated, second edition examines the unusual experiment that is charter education and the controversies that surround public choice and charter schools as a means of educational reform. Written by…

This research explores the history, philosophies and practices of an "A rated" public charter school (serving infants through 8th grade) in Florida. Participants are the professional educators who were involved in the founding of the school in 1999. Findings are based on semi-structured interviews probing the details of the history of…

Yes We Can: Improving Urban Schools through Innovative Educational Reform is a empirically-based book on urban education reform to not only proclaim that hope is alive for urban schools, but to also produce a body of literature that examines current practices and then offer practical implications for all involved in this arduous task. This book is…

Interviewed teachers from 17 California charter schools to examine their attitudes toward charter school reform. Results indicated that their professional lives were profoundly influenced by both local and larger contexts for teaching. Locally, they liked teaching at small schools with like-minded professionals. However, their relationships to…

Presents the debate over charter schools. Describes what charter schools are and what they are like. Discusses participation and involvement in charter schools, charter school performance, and innovation and barriers of charter schools. Concludes that the success of the charter school movement will depend, in large part, on the ability of the true…

This study examined the impact of 3 2nd-year charter schools (1 elementary, 1 middle, and 1 high school) on student achievement, school climate, and pedagogy. All schools served predominantly African American students in an inner-city district. Using a matched treatment-control student analytical design, charter school enrollees were individually…

This article presents a study that explores the relationship between charter schools and teacher autonomy. The theoretical framework is based on the charter school concept, whereby three policy levers--choice, deregulation, and accountability--lead to various goals for the charter school. One of the first and foremost of these is the enhancement…

Surveyed Arizona teachers to investigate how personal traits influenced their attitudes toward charter schools and school vouchers, also examining school- and district-level variables shaping charter school teachers' views about choice. White, experienced, unionized, democratic educators and those working in positive school environments were less…

Presents the story of the number one for-profit school in the United States, the Thomas A. Edison Charter Academy. Teachers had a heavier workload, but better pay and perks. Shortly after opening, many teachers were discontent with the long days and calendar, lack of follow through on promised benefits, and other issues. Reactions to this…

As of the 2006-2007 school year, 19,733 students attended charter schools in the District of Columbia, representing over a quarter of the District's total public school student population and one of the largest charter school markets in the country. It is under such circumstances, some suggest, that choice will spur competition, ultimately…

Three surveys assessing 100 California charter schools were conducted in 1997-98. Interviewees included teachers, principals, and parents. Findings include: 7 out of 10 charter-school principals report that their schools boast waiting lists; overall, parents selected the school's curriculum as their primary reason for selecting a charter;…

Surveyed teachers in traditional public and charter schools in Colorado and Michigan to examine differences in their perceptions of empowerment (specifically, decision making and autonomy). Results found no significant differences between the groups in perceptions of autonomy. Teachers in traditional schools believed they had more opportunities to…

This article analyzes a study that examined Georgia charter-school teachers' and principals' perceptions of the ideal and actual practices in eight key areas of shared decision making: budgeting, curriculum/instruction, facilitating procedures, goals/visions/mission, operations, staffing, staff development, standards, and their overall impressions…

Synthesizes research on the work of charter school teachers, juxtaposing it with case studies of teachers in six urban elementary charter schools. Charter schools, with increased autonomy over personnel and budget, were free to make decisions regarding hiring, salary, and working conditions. Charter teachers worked longer hours with less job…

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…