This study examines the teaching conditions of educators working in charter schools, exploring the involvement of teachers' unions and associations. Data came from a literature review, a teacher survey, and five case studies in various types of charter schools. Results from the literature review indicate that: state charter statutes are…

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,…

This paper explores the character of the teaching communities that have emerged in Michigan's charter and professional-development schools (PDS). It focuses on rhetorical constructions of what a teaching community is and how it is understood by those who are a part of it, with the assumption that teachers are subject to the cultural perceptions of…

Describes a five-year ethnographic study of an African-centered charter school to determine the pedagogical theory undergirding the school's development and maintenance. The analysis reveals an absence of coherence in the community of teachers about the ethos of the school. (SLD)

Describes results from a 3-year study of charter schools in Alberta, Canada. Case studies of Alberta's 12 charter schools (involving document review, interviews, observations, and surveys) indicated that parents, teachers, and students were very satisfied with the schools, and there were steady levels of student enrollment. Most of the schools…

This working paper discusses safety in urban charter schools relative to other urban public schools, using several indicators from the Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS). SASS is the nation's most extensive sample survey of elementary and secondary schools and the teachers and administrators who staff them. The indicators measure the frequency of…

This study examines the perceptions of middle school teachers at the Miami Shores/Barry University Charter School (Florida) toward using computers in a classroom environment for teaching. A purposive sampling technique was used to select the school and the teachers involved in the study. A constructivist approach was used to understand the…

Surveyed traditional and charter school teachers to determine their perceptions of the teacher's role, the teaching and learning processes, and teacher empowerment. Results indicated that there were some differences, but the two groups had more in common than not. Charter school teachers did not have deeper involvement in curricular decision…

Surveyed approximately 100 teachers from 16 charter schools and 100 teachers from 7 traditional schools about perceptions of teacher empowerment, school climate, and working conditions. Results show consistent and practically significant differences in perceptions of teachers in these types of schools. (SLD)

This third edition of the "ES Review" brings together, in one setting, some of the best work from 2008-09. It features: (1) K-12 Accountability (Measuring Skills for the 21st Century (Elena Silva); Beyond the Bubble: Technology and the Future of Student Assessment (Bill Tucker); Testing the Limits (Bill Tucker); Changing the Game: The…

Examined teachers' experiences in charter and public schools to investigate how deregulation policies affected teaching conditions. Results indicated that the most autonomous schools (charter schools) were not necessarily favored by teachers. Greater autonomy for teachers was accomplished by expanded roles and responsibilities in deregulated…

This study took place at a newly formed charter school serving 150 students in a large metropolitan city in the southwest. Students were mostly Hispanic (98%), and all were eligible for free or reduced-price lunch. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected in interviews with 45 sixth- (n = 28), seventh- (n = 10), and eighth- (n = 7) grade…

The purpose of this study was to explore the ways in which social, political, and economic factors impact the teaching and learning of mathematics in a small rural school in Georgia. Focusing on a charter school that seeks to educate approximately 275 pre-K through 12th grade students, the study was intended to give voice to the residents of the…

The purpose of the present evaluation study was to examine the progress made in program implementation, school climate, and student achievement by Tennessee charter schools. Six evaluation questions guided the methodology for this study. Student achievement results are addressed in a separate report. The following evaluation questions are…

This report reviews the opinions of the National Education Association (NEA) and the approaches taken by and concerns of employee associations that are state affiliates of the NEA. The NEA supports the concept of charters if appropriate standards are upheld and appropriate practices are enforced. The energy and enthusiasm being brought to the…