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

Charter Schools

A National Study of Charter Schools,
Second-Year Report

On July 24, 1998, President Clinton announced the release of the second-year report of the National Study of Charter Schools, a comprehensive four-year study of charter schools sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education. The charter school phenomenon that seemed radical only a few years ago is now an accepted part of public education in many parts of the country. In 1991, Minnesota became the first state to enact charter school legislation, and today, just 7 years later, 33 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico have passed charter school laws.

Across the country, teachers, parents, and community members are working to open charter schools--schools they believe will improve education. The second-year report, which was produced by RPP International, of Emeryville, California, describes the charter school movement nationwide, and documents and analyzes ways in which charter schools are being established and run. Key findings include:

	The number of charter schools is growing. In the 1997-98 school year, 279 additional charter schools opened, bringing the total number to nearly 700. If the various branches of charter schools in Arizona are counted as separate charter schools, the number of charter schools in operation was approximately 781. Arizona, California, and Michigan have the largest numbers of charter schools; together, these three states have about half of all charter school in the country.
	Most charter schools are standing the test of time. Once established, charter schools have remained open. Only 19 charter schools had ceased operating as charters by September 1997; and only 12 of these schools actually closed their doors.
	Over 110,000 students attended charter schools in 1996-97, and the schools are in great demand. More than 70 percent of charter schools sampled said they had more applicants than could attend. Charter school enrollment varies from less than one-tenth of one percent of the state's public school enrollment in Florida, Illinois, and Louisiana to more than two percent of the state's enrollment in Arizona.
	Generally, in terms of race and income level, charter school populations are similar to those in the overall public school system. However, about a third of charter schools are more likely to serve students of color and low-income students.
	There appear to be possible legislative trends surfacing toward relaxing limits on the number of charter schools and increasing flexibility in the charter-granting process. Despite these trends, charter school operators face many barriers to starting charter schools. Principal among the barriers cited by study respondents was insufficient start-up funds, followed by inadequate operating funds, inadequate facilities, and lack of planning time.

The study is examining why parents choose charter schools for their children, and what students think about their charter schools. In focus group discussions, parents and students consistently voiced dissatisfaction with their previous public schools, expressing concerns about low academic standards, a dehumanizing culture, student safety, and unresponsiveness to serious parent involvement. The charter schools they are choosing tend to reflect their concerns:

	Most charter schools are small, particularly compared to other public schools. Charter schools have an estimated median enrollment of about 150 students, whereas other public schools in the charter states have a median of about 500 students.
	Many charter schools have non-traditional grade configurations. Charter schools include a higher proportion of K through 12, K through 8, and ungraded schools than other public schools.
	Most charter schools say they attract parents and students by focusing on academics, but they also feature other attractions. Charter schools tend to focus on one or a combination of the following themes in seeking to attract students: a quality academic program with high standards, a supportive environment often based on small school size, a flexible approach to educational and cultural programming, or, in sharp contrast, a highly structured environment.

The study also is examining the state role. Chartering statutes differ dramatically from state to state as to the extent and nature of the autonomy they allow. State statutes also vary greatly with respect to the number of charter schools allowed, the conditions of accountability and renewal, and the types of charter schools permitted. Thus, different charter approaches are being tried simultaneously across the country. Although charter laws vary greatly across states, several key features dictate the number and types of charter schools that are created within each state:

	Most states allow both newly created and conversion schools. Some, however, only allow public conversions; only five states and the District of Columbia allow newly created schools and both public and private conversions.
	Most states establish some limit on the number of charter schools or the number of students enrolled in charter schools. Only 13 states have no limit on the number of schools or students.
	Most states allow automatic waivers of most of the education code, except for provisions related to health, safety, and civil rights. In 10 states, however, charter schools must apply for specific waivers, and in two states charter schools are responsible for following most of the education code.

The full report, as well as an executive summary, will be placed on the Departments WWW site at www.ed.gov/pubs/charter98/

For additional information about the study: U.S. Department of Education, OERI/Student Achievement Institute, 555 New Jersey Avenue NW, Room 510, Washington, DC 20208-5573, Attn: Judith Anderson, or judith.anderson@ed.gov

For information on the grant and model development programs: U.S. Department of Education/Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, 4512 Portals, Washington, DC 20202, Attn: John Fiegel, or john.fiegel@ed.gov

The U.S. Charter Schools World Wide Web site at http://www.uscharterschools.org

SAI 98-3035

U.S. Department of Education
Office of Educational Research and Improvement

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