The Effect of Charter Schools on Student Achievement
A Meta-Analysis of the Literature
Charter schools are largely viewed as a major innovation in the public school landscape, as they receive more independence from state laws and regulations than do traditional public schools, and are therefore more able to experiment with alternative curricula, pedagogical methods, and different ways of hiring and training teachers. Unlike traditional public schools, charters may be shut down by their authorizers for poor performance. But how is charter school performance measured? What are the effects of charter schools on student achievement?
Assessing literature that uses either experimental (lottery) or student-level growth- based methods, this analysisinfers the causal impact of attending a charter school on student performance. Focusing on math and reading scores, the authors find compelling evidence that charters under-perform traditional public schools in some locations, grades and subjects, and out-perform traditional public schools in other locations, grades and subjects. However, important exceptions include elementary school reading and middle school math and reading, where evidence suggests no negative effects of charter schools and, in some cases, evidence of posit
Charter schools are largely viewed as a major innovation in the public school landscape, as they receive more independence from state laws and regulations than do traditional public schools, and are therefore more able to experiment with alternative curricula, pedagogical methods, and different ways of hiring and training teachers. Unlike traditional public schools, charters may be shut down by their authorizers for poor performance. But how is charter school performance measured? What are the effects of charter schools on student achievement?
Assessing literature that uses either experimental (lottery) or student-level growth- based methods, this analysisinfers the causal impact of attending a charter school on student performance. Focusing on math and reading scores, the authors find compelling evidence that charters under-perform traditional public schools in some locations, grades and subjects, and out-perform traditional public schools in other locations, grades and subjects. However, important exceptions include elementary school reading and middle school math and reading, where evidence suggests no negative effects of charter schools and, in some cases, evidence of posit
The Changing Role of States in Education
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The Move from Compliance to Performance Management
Full report from the Center on Reinventing Public Education
State education agencies are being pushed to move from their historically passive role of monitoring compliance to a more active role in managing school performance. Events have coalesced to push for this transformation, including the 2001 NCLB Act, which requires SEAs to oversee performance at the school and district level. But in a politically charged environment with few additional resources, SEAs face considerable challenges in taking
The Move from Compliance to Performance Management
Full report from the Center on Reinventing Public Education
State education agencies are being pushed to move from their historically passive role of monitoring compliance to a more active role in managing school performance. Events have coalesced to push for this transformation, including the 2001 NCLB Act, which requires SEAs to oversee performance at the school and district level. But in a politically charged environment with few additional resources, SEAs face considerable challenges in taking