Charter School Law & Authorizer Practices Need Upgrades & Strengthening to Address Rapid Growth & Expansion (9/17/14)
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| Barbara Gross AISR Principal Associate 212/328-9258 (ofc) 347/410-2749 (cell) | or | Phil GloudemansAISR Director, Communications 401/863-3552 (ofc) 401/338-6385 (cell) |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (September 17, 2014)
New Report from Brown University’s Annenberg Institute for School Reform Cites Lack of Access, Transparency & Accountability
PROVIDENCE – A new report on charter schools from Brown University’s Annenberg Institute for School Reform (AISR) recommends changes to state charter legislation and charter authorizer standards that would reduce student inequities and achieve complete transparency and accountability to the communities served.
“It is time to revisit and tune-up state charter laws and authorizer practices to allow the best features of chartering to flourish while weeding out the practices and loopholes that have cost states and taxpayers so much in both dollars and public trust,” notes the report, titled “Public Accountability for Charter Schools: Standards and Policy Recommendations for Effective Oversight,” issued today.
The report is the result of a two-year study by grassroots organizers and education leaders nationwide who, under the auspices of AISR and Communities for Public Education Reform (CPER), examined the impact of rapid charter expansion on parents, students and communities.
“The group found some common concerns: Uneven academic performance; practices that pushed or kept students out of charter schools; overly harsh discipline policies; funding patterns that destabilized traditional schools; and a lack of representative governance, transparency, and adequate oversight, leading to potential conflicts of interests and instances of fraud and other problems,” the report stated.
According to the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, in 2013-14, there were 2.57 million students enrolled in over 6,000 public charter schools nationwide; in contrast, there were 1.29 million students enrolled in 2007-08. All but eight states have enacted legislation allowing charters. The report notes that nearly 2,000 new charter schools have opened during the past five years.
“State charter laws, regulations and oversight have not stayed abreast with the rapid growth of the charter school sector,” said Richard Gray, director of AISR’s Community Organizing & Engagement practice. “While most charter operators diligently work to meet their students’ needs, the lack of effective oversight means there is no guarantee of academic innovation or excellence – which was the charter school’s original intent – and too many cases of fraud and abuse, and far too little attention to equity.”
The report advances seven standards, followed by detailed recommendations to state legislatures, charter authorizers and other policy makers tasked with charter oversight. The standards include:
- Traditional school districts and charter schools should collaborate to ensure a coordinated approach that serves all children
- School governance should be representative and transparent
- Charter schools should ensure equal access to interested students and prohibit practices that discourage enrollment or disproportionately push-out enrolled students
- Charter school discipline policy should be fair and transparent
- All students deserve equitable and adequate school facilities. Districts and charter schools should collaborate to ensure facility arrangements do not disadvantage students in either sector
- Online charter schools should be better regulated for quality, transparency and the protection of student data
- Monitoring and oversight of charter schools are critical to protect the public interest; they should be strong and fully state funded
- Traditional school districts and charter schools should collaborate to ensure a coordinated approach that serves all children
“The common-sense recommendations outlined in this report are meant to ensure that there is a level playing field between traditional public schools and public charter schools, and charters are fully transparent and accountable to the communities they serve,” adds Gray. “Furthermore, charter authorizers are required and empowered to monitor compliance with all laws and regulations guiding charter schooling. Most importantly, charters should serve an equitable cross section of students and provide the supports necessary to help all students achieve.”
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About AISR
The Annenberg Institute for School Reform is a national policy-research and reform support organization affiliated with Brown University that focuses on improving conditions and outcomes for all students in urban public schools, especially those attended by traditionally underserved children.
The Annenberg Institute for School Reform is a national policy-research and reform support organization affiliated with Brown University that focuses on improving conditions and outcomes for all students in urban public schools, especially those attended by traditionally underserved children.
About CPER
Communities for Public Education Reform is a national funding initiative that supports community-driven efforts working to guarantee educational excellence, equity, and opportunity for every child in low-income communities of color.
Communities for Public Education Reform is a national funding initiative that supports community-driven efforts working to guarantee educational excellence, equity, and opportunity for every child in low-income communities of color.