This is a fascinating article written by Paul Peterson of Harvard University about the origin of the charter school idea.
Many people credit the idea to Al Shanker and Ray Budde of the University of Massachusetts, but Peterson sets them straight.
Peterson is the foremost proponent of school choice, charters and vouchers, in the academic world. He has trained many of the other prominent academics who support school choice, such as Jay Greene and Patrick Wolf, both at the University of Arkansas’ Department of Educational Reform (sic).
Peterson writes about the original proposals by Budde and Shanker but then notes that their ideas were fundamentally transformed by Minnesota reformers Ted Kolderie and Joe Nathan. Budde and Shanker wanted the charters to be district-controlled and friendly to unions.
Peterson writes:
Even though it is fashionable enough to credit Shanker for jump-starting the charter movement that even the Wall Street Journal is joining in, there is only a glimmer of truth to that urban legend. In actuality, Shanker did more to CONTINUE READING: Paul Peterson: “No, Al Shanker Did Not Invent the Charter School” | Diane Ravitch's blog