Research suggests that policy change can best be understood as the product of competition among advocacy coalitions within the constraints of a policy subsystem (Sabatier and Jenkins-Smith, 1993). This paper presents findings of a study that examined the rhetoric of policy change in Texas utilizing the voucher and charter-schools movements as an…

Charter schools are defined by North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (DPI) as "a public school operated by a group of parents, teachers, and/or community members as a semi-autonomous school of choice within a school district, operating under a 'charter' with the State Board of Education." Since most charter schools do not have…

The state of Colorado has set high standards for students based on three fundamental principles: safety, civility, and literacy. How these standards were integrated into the schools is the subject of this report. It opens with an overview of the foundations of academic success and the process involved in implementing standards-based education. The…

This report presents data from a 1999 survey of sixth graders in the District of Columbia. The survey asked students: (1) where they were; (2) what they were doing; and (3) who they were with the day before, on the hour and on the half hour, between 3:00 and 6:00 p.m. The surveys were administered on Wednesday, November 10, because the previous…

This handbook provides information and materials to assist applicants in preparing an application to establish a charter school in Arizona. The topics discussed reflect the technical requirements of Arizona's charter-school legislation. It does not necessarily reflect the selection requirements or the policies of the State Board of Education, the…

This report provides brief case studies of 22 public school buildings in 12 states, representing urban, suburban, and rural communities, including both district-run and charter public schools. The studies demonstrate the schools' ability to improve academic achievement and behavior in safe, nurturing, and stimulating environments. The researchers…

This report examines equity issues at charter schools serving predominantly minority or at-risk students. Increasing charter school enrollments of such students indicates the popularity of this choice for disadvantaged populations. Overall, charter schools enroll larger percentages of minority students than public schools. Advocates note that…

Aggressive intervention by a school-choice coalition and supportive elected officials turned back threats to the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program (MPCP) posed by burdensome state regulation of private schools. MPCP continues to expand, studies report academic gains, parents are satisfied and involved, and public support has grown. Supporters of…

Applying the educational experiences of Arizona as a backdrop, this opinion paper discusses, quite broadly, reform of public education. In Arizona, academic standards have been judged the best in the nation by the Fordham Foundation; to measure academic progress, the state uses only the Stanford 9 test; there has been public school open enrollment…

This report documents a study of charter schools in Alberta, Canada. The purpose of the study was to examine the academic achievement of the 10 charter schools in the province. Data were collected from test scores in language arts, math, science, and social studies of third-, sixth-, and ninth-graders; reviews of various documents; and interviews…

Data from a variety of sources were used to examine the status of charter schools in California. Home to 415 charter schools enrolling 157,000 students, about 2.4% of all public school students in the state, California is at the forefront of the charter school movement, with the number of charter schools increasing rapidly. The average overall…

Noting that variety in education may be seen as a basic mechanism for change, this paper examines four important developments in public education: (1) site-based decision making; (2) charter schools; (3) whole school designs; and (4) parent choice. The paper maintains that site-based decision making should involve giving schools authority and…

Massachusetts currently maintains several charter schools in its K-12 educational system. This paper applies the charter school idea to public institutions of higher education. Charter colleges are publicly owned institutions managed independent of most controls imposed by state bureaucracies and higher education systems. Charter schools are more…

The latest educational reform is that of charter schools. This article surveys the perceived benefits of charter schools and their organizational characteristics. Describes fiscal and policy issues and outlines seven critical components necessary for passing successful charter legislation. One figure is included. (Five references) (LMI)

Describes the Carnegie Middle School (CMS), a North Carolina public charter school that uses the community as the classroom. Examines the school's emphasis on parental support and partnerships with neighborhood business and service organizations, as well as its unique features of accessibility, problem solving, teamwork, goal setting, and life…