A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

Fix or Close Down Troubled Schools and Reopen Them as New American or Charter Schools

States, school districts, and communities should intervene quickly in schools that are not providing an adequate education for their students or in schools that are unsafe. A number of states and districts are providing parents with the opportunity to choose their public school. Through their own restructuring plans, local districts, communities, or states may totally revamp a school. Some states and school districts take advantage of new opportunities to overhaul a failing school by turning it into a New American School or a charter school. Using the nonprofit New American Schools, parents and teachers can choose from seven successful approaches to organize their school. New American Schools design teams bring the choice of school to the neighborhood. Charter schools are public schools that allow teachers, parents, and their principal to start over--focusing on high standards and community involvement without as many regulations binding them.

• Checklist: If your school needs to improve, what actions are needed?
• U.S. Department of Education Resources
• Sources of Assistance and Information
• Who's Doing It

This site last updated on November 5, 1998 by [TPC]