Charter Schools - Briefing
Charter schools are PUBLIC schools. Like any public school, they are free to all students; they are non-sectarian; they abide by health, safety, and civil right laws. They are not usually run by their local district, but are run under a charter which is obtained from the state or other agency authorized under state law to grant charters. Usually, parents, teachers, or others can work separately or together to create a new public charter school. Nineteen states have passed charter school laws and more than 200 charter schools are in operation this school year. This is almost double the 110 charter schools that were in operation last spring, and many more are expected next year.
Charter schools generally have much more decision-making authority than typical public schools and usually enjoy independence within their districts. In return for this independence, they are accountable for results. Accountability through regulation and compliance is replaced with accountability for results.
Proponents believe that charter schools will create new opportunities for teachers, parents, and other to design innovative strategies to boost student achievement. As Secretary Riley has said, "One size clearly does not fit all in America education, and charter schools allow teachers, parents, and others to design the size and strategy of school that makes sense for their students." (Charter School Telephone Conference, 9/26/95.) Proponents argue - and we will find out whether this is true - the resulting competition will stimulate nearby schools to improve in order to attract and retain students. It may also be that the new sense of responsibility for one's school will make a difference to students, teachers, parents, and everyone else involved in the school.
The Administration has a strong interest in charter schools, and the President recently visited O'Farrell Charter School in San Diego. There he announced the first federal grant awards to support charter school startup expenses. The Administration had requested $20 million for this program in FY 1995 and FY 1996. Congress appropriated only $6 million in FY 1995, and for FY 1996, the House proposes to do the same, while the Senate is considering a $10 million appropriation.
In September, ED/OESE awarded $5.4 million to Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Oregon, Texas. These states will award grants to schools in state competitions. Two schools in New Mexico - which has a charter schools law but chose not to apply for these funds directly - also received small startup grants. The Administration requested $20 million for this program in FY1995 and FY1996.
OERI has awarded a contract for a four-year study of the impact of charter schools on student achievement. Research will include an annual survey of all charter schools, site visits to a sample of charter schools and a study of student achievement. RPP International of Berkeley, California will do the study in partnership with the University of Minnesota's Center for Applied Research and Educational Improvement (CAREI) and the Institute for Responsive Education (IRE), a non-profit research organization in Boston, Massachusetts. ED has awarded RPP $536 thousands in the first year and expects to award a total of $2.1 million on the exercise of its options for continuing the study in future years. Finally, on November 13, OERI sponsored a meeting of key researchers conducting national research on charter schools to encourage cooperation among research community.
The array of federal funds - including Goal 2000, School-to-Work, and IASA - may be used by states and communities to support charter schools. Massachusetts and Michigan, for example, are already using Goal 2000 funds to support the development of charter schools. Moreover, the Secretary will use broad waiver authority provide maximum flexibility in the use of federal program funds to help charter schools tailor the use od federal program resources to those needs.
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