Charter schools are funded and governed by public agencies but operated by private organizations under government contracts. As private organizations, charter schools have more autonomy over their operations than traditional public schools. Charter school teachers typically do not work under collective bargaining units or have tenure protections, which gives charter leaders more authority over personnel decisions. Also, charter schools do not have "attendance zones," so families can choose the school that best meets their needs regardless of where they live. Charter schools now represent 7% of national school enrollment and rising. In a growing number of cities, this number is well above 40%. The debate over the rise of charter schools has focused on only some of the ways in which charter schools affect children. In this study, the authors assess the total effect charter schools have on student outcomes nationwide, including not only students attending charter schools but also indirect effects on students attending nearby public schools. [For the corresponding technical paper, "The Combined Effects of Charter Schools on Student Outcomes: A National Analysis of School Districts," see ED622023.]