A r c h i v e d I n f o r m a t i o n
The State of Charter Schools 2000 - Fourth-Year Report, January 2000
The increased level of autonomy called for by the charter concept enables educators, parents, or community members to create schools that are alternatives to-and for-the current public system. Charter schools are afforded flexibility to make independent decisions and set policy about both educational and management issues, though some school decisions may be constrained either by provisions of the state's charter legislation or by decisions and practices implemented by their charter granting agency. Most charter schools felt they had considerable autonomy over decisions and policy affecting most areas of education and management, except over student admissions policies. More newly created than pre-existing public or private schools felt they had primary control over decisions about educational and management issues-pre-existing public schools felt they had the least autonomy.
- In 1998-99, most charter schools had primary control or authority over their administrative operations including: the budget (73 percent), purchase of supplies and equipment (88 percent), and hiring of teaching staff (88 percent). In addition, most charter schools had primary control over the operation of their education program, including: the daily and yearly schedule (95 percent), curriculum (83 percent), discipline (87 percent), calendar (77 percent), and student assessment policies (72 percent). A lower percentage of schools reported that they had primary control over their student admissions policies (59 percent).
- In cases where charter schools did not have control, primary authority rested with either the district, the charter-granting agency, or with another source.
- Charter schools that converted from private status had a pattern of autonomy similar to newly created schools in the areas of hiring teaching staff, establishing curriculum, and determining the calendar. Pre-existing public schools had less control than both newly created and pre-existing private schools in all areas of decision making and policy setting, including curriculum, assessment, discipline, calendar, admissions, budget, and daily schedule.
Estimated Percentage of Charter Schools by Source of Primary Control for Various School Decisions and Operations
NOTE: These data are based on responses from between 972 and 975 of the 975 open charter schools that responded to the survey. Schools were asked to rate each of these items separately, resulting in the range of responses. Up to three schools aswered "don't know" for certain items. Most responses in the "other" category include the management company, the state legislature, and parents. The data presented in columns 3 through 5 of the table on the facing page represent the percentage of the total number of each type of school and includes responses from 173 open pre-existing public schools, 98 open pre-existing private schools, and between 702 and 704 open newly created schools (some newly created schools responded "don't know").
Estimated Percentage of Charter Schools with Primary Control by Creation Status
Estimated Percentage of Newly Created and Pre-existing Charter Schools
with Control over Various School Decisions and Operations
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