|
Clearinghouse on Educational Policy and Management
|
| College of Education · University of Oregon |
|
Trends and Issues: School Choice
Research and EvaluationJournal ArticlesEJ650267 CS762815Student Gains in a Privately Managed Network of Charter Schools Using Direct Instruction. Author: Cross, Richard W.; Rebarber, Theodor; Wilson, Steven F. Availability: The Association for Direct Instruction, PO Box 10252, Eugene, OR 97440. Web Site: http://www.adihome.org. Journal Citation: Journal of Direct Instruction, v2 n1 p3-21 Win 2002 Publication Date: 2002 ISSN: 1068-7379 Language: English Document Type: Journal articles (080); Reports--Research (143) Journal Announcement: CIJDEC2002 Abstract: Provides results of an evaluation of a private education management company, Advantage Schools, which opened and operated public charter schools. Outlines Advantage's four-part approach, in which students learn at an accelerated rate. Suggests that this approach may offer an effective and replicable approach to urban schooling. (PM) Descriptors: Academic Achievement; *Acceleration (Education); *Charter Schools; *Elementary Education; Extended School Year; Positive Reinforcement; Program Effectiveness; *Urban Schools Identifiers: Direct Instruction EJ648273 UD523725 The Utility of an Involvement and Talent Development Framework in Defining Charter School Success: A Pilot Study. Author: Opp, Ronald D.; Hamer, Lynne M.; Beltyukova, Svetlana Availability: Educational Perspectives, College of Education, University of Hawai'i at Manoa, Wist Annex 2, Room 131, 1776 University Ave., Honolulu, HI 96822. Journal Citation: Education and Urban Society, v34 n3 p384-406 May 2002 Publication Date: 2002 ISSN: 0013-1245 Language: English Document Type: Journal articles (080); Reports--Research (143) Journal Announcement: CIJOCT2002 Abstract: Explored the utility of an involvement and talent development framework in assessing the success of charter schools and their students. Focus group interviews with parents and teachers in four Ohio charter schools indicated that student, teacher, and parent involvement and growth of students' cognitive and affective talents were important indicators of school and student success. (SM) Descriptors: *Charter Schools; Elementary Secondary Education; Institutional Evaluation; *Parent Participation; *Student Participation; *Talent Development; Urban Education; EJ644901 EA539511 RAND Report on Charter Schools and Vouchers. Author: Perkins-Gough, Deborah Availability: Naylor Publications, Inc., 5931 Northwest 1st Place, Gainesville, FL 32607. Tel: 800-369-6220 (Toll Free); Fax: 352-331-3525. Journal Citation: Educational Leadership, v59 n7 p90-91 Apr 2002 Publication Date: 2002 ISSN: 0013-1784 Language: English Document Type: Information Analysis (070); Journal articles (080) Journal Announcement: CIJSEP2002 Abstract: Highlights some of the major findings of the December 2001 RAND report on charter schools and vouchers prepared by Brain P. Gill, P. Michael Timpane, Karen E. Ross, and Dominic J. Brewer. The report can be ordered from RAND at www.rand.org/publications. (PKP) Descriptors: *Charter Schools; *Educational Vouchers; Elementary Secondary Education Identifiers: Rand Corporation EJ644899 EA539509 For-Profit Schools. Author: Holloway, John H. Availability: Naylor Publications, Inc., 5931 Northwest 1st Place, Gainesville, FL 32607. Tel: 800-369-6220 (Toll Free); Fax: 352-331-3525. Journal Citation: Educational Leadership, v59 n7 p84-85 Apr 2002 Publication Date: 2002 ISSN: 0013-1784 Language: English Document Type: Journal articles (080); Reports--Research (143) Journal Announcement: CIJSEP2002 Abstract: Reviews research investigating the effectiveness of for-profit schools operated by educational management organizations. (PKP) Descriptors: *Charter Schools; Educational Policy; Elementary Secondary Education Identifiers: *Educational Management Organizations; *Profit Making Schools EJ640147 SP529804 Small Districts in Big Trouble: How Four Arizona School Systems Responded to Charter Competition. Author: Hess, Frederick; Maranto, Robert; Milliman, Scott Availability: Carfax Publishing, Taylor & Francis Ltd., P.O. Box 25, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, OX14 3UE, U.K. Tel: 0141-330-6631. Journal Citation: Teachers College Record, v103 n6 p1102-24 Dec 2001 Publication Date: 2001 ISSN: 0161-4681 Language: English Document Type: Journal articles (080); Reports--Research (143) Journal Announcement: CIJJUN2002 Abstract: Examined the responses to charter school competition of four small Arizona school districts. Overall, districts lost students to charter schools because they did not satisfy significant constituencies. Their responses depended on overall enrollment trends, quality of charter competition, quality of district leadership, and district size. Responses included reforming curricula, changing eadership, vilifying charter competitors, and attempting to absorb competitors. (SM) Descriptors: *Charter Schools; Competition; Elementary Secondary Education; Enrollment Trends; *School Districts Identifiers: Arizona EJ639040 EA539124 Rising Tide. Author: Hoxby, Caroline Minter Availability: http:www-writing.berkeley.edu/TESL-EJ Journal Citation: Education Next, v1 n4 p68-74 Win 2001 Publication Date: 2001 ISSN: 1532-5148 Language: English Document Type: Journal articles (080); Reports--Research (143) Journal Announcement: CIJJUN2002 Abstract: Discusses effect of competition from charter schools and voucher programs on students who remain in public schools; focuses on Milwaukee (effect of vouchers), Arizona (charter schools) and Michigan (charter schools). By comparing test results between schools affected by competition and those not affected, argues competition improves public schools. (KSB) Descriptors: *Academic Achievement; *Charter Schools; Competition; *Educational Vouchers; Elementary Secondary Education; Mathematics Achievement; Private Schools; Public Schools; Reading Achievement; *School Choice Identifiers: Arizona; Michigan; Wisconsin (Milwaukee) EJ639033 EA539117 Finishing Touches. Author: Maranto, Robert Availability: http:www-writing.berkeley.edu/TESL-EJ Journal Citation: Education Next, v1 n4 p20-25 Win 2001 Publication Date: 2001 ISSN: 1532-5148 Language: English Document Type: Journal articles (080); Reports--Research (143) Journal Announcement: CIJJUN2002 Abstract: Discusses burgeoning charter-school movement in Arizona and its effect on public schools. Asserts evidence gathered through surveys and interviews suggests competition incrementally improves education for all students. Identifies ways in which schools hit hardest by competition react and refutes critics' claims regarding school choice. Discusses reasons parents and students choose charter schools. (KSB) Descriptors: *Charter Schools; *Competition; Elementary Secondary Education; *School Choice; School Districts; School Size Identifiers: Arizona EJ639032 EA539116 A Work in Progress. Author: Arsen, David; Plank, David N.; Sykes, Gary Availability: http:www-writing.berkeley.edu/TESL-EJ Journal Citation: Education Next, v1 n4 p14-19 Win 2001 Publication Date: 2001 ISSN: 1532-5148 Language: English Document Type: Journal articles (080); Reports--Research (143) Journal Announcement: CIJJUN2002 Abstract: Examines impact of Michigan's school-choice policies by analyzing district responses to charter schools and interdistrict choice and consequent effect on education. Concludes policies' systemic effects depend on interaction of local factors and statewide rules; finds little impact felt in most districts while negative impact seen in poorest districts. (KSB) Descriptors: *Charter Schools; Elementary Secondary Education; *Interdistrict Policies; *School Choice Identifiers: Michigan EJ628755 SP529327 Building a Plane While Flying It: Early Lessons from Developing Charter Schools. Author: Griffin, Noelle C.; Wohlstetter, Priscilla Availability: Journal Citation: Teachers College Record, v103 n2 p336-65 Apr 2001 Publication Date: 2001 ISSN: 0161-4681 Language: English Document Type: Journal articles (080); Reports--Research (143) Journal Announcement: CIJDEC2001 Abstract: Examined 17 charter schools, focusing on key instructional and organizational practices that they established in their start-up years. Three major categories of issues that they all dealt with included: developing curricular and instructional programs; developing a meaningful accountability system; and developing management/leadership systems. In each area, charter schools displayed both strengths and weaknesses. (SM) Descriptors: Accountability; *Charter Schools; Curriculum Development; Elementary Secondary Education; Faculty Development; Governance; Instructional Leadership; School Administration EJ624180 UD522824 Teacher Autonomy and Accountability in Charter Schools. Author: Crawford, James R. Availability: Journal Citation: Education and Urban Society, v33 n2 p186-200 Feb 2001 Publication Date: 2001 ISSN: 0013-1245 Language: English Document Type: Journal articles (080); Reports--Research (143) Journal Announcement: CIJSEP2001 Abstract: Surveyed teachers in traditional public and charter schools in Colorado and Michigan to examine differences in their perceptions of empowerment (specifically, decision making and autonomy). Results found no significant differences between the groups in perceptions of autonomy. Teachers in traditional schools believed they had more opportunities to participate in decision making than did their charter school counterparts. (SM) Descriptors: *Accountability; *Charter Schools; Elementary Secondary Education; Nontraditional Education; *Participative Decision Making; *Professional Autonomy; Teacher Attitudes; *Teacher Empowerment; Teachers Identifiers: Colorado; Michigan EJ620733 SP528967 Charter Schools: The Search for Community. Author: O'Reilly, Robert R.; Bosetti, Lynn Availability: Journal Citation: Peabody Journal of Education, v75 n4 p19-36 2000 Publication Date: 2000 ISSN: 0161-956X Language: English Document Type: Journal articles (080); Reports--Descriptive (141) Journal Announcement: CIJJUL2001 Abstract: Describes results from a 3-year study of charter schools in Alberta, Canada. Case studies of Alberta's 12 charter schools (involving document review, interviews, observations, and surveys) indicated that parents, teachers, and students were very satisfied with the schools, and there were steady levels of student enrollment. Most of the schools demonstrated improved student achievement. (SM) Descriptors: *Academic Standards; *Accountability; *Charter Schools; *Educational Improvement; Elementary Secondary Education; Foreign Countries; Parent Attitudes; Public Schools; School Choice; Teacher Attitudes Identifiers: Alberta; Canada EJ611947 RC514124 Alberta Charter Schools: Paradox and Promises. Author: Bosetti, Lynn Availability: Journal Citation: Alberta Journal of Educational Research, v46 n2 p179-90 Sum 2000 Publication Date: 2000 ISSN: 0002-4805 Language: English Document Type: Journal articles (080); Opinion papers (120); Reports--Research (143) Journal Announcement: CIJFEB2001 Abstract: Case studies of nine Alberta charter schools examined the role of charter schools in educational reform. The real promise of charter schools resides less in fostering innovation and efficiency in public education, and more in providing parental school choice and addressing diverse values and goals of education. (Contains 28 references.) (Author/TD) Descriptors: *Charter Schools; Educational Change; *Educational Objectives; Elementary Secondary Education; *Equal Education; Foreign Countries; *Free Enterprise System; Parent Participation; *Politics of Education; Public Education; Role of Education; *School Choice; School Culture Identifiers: *Alberta EJ607364 SP528370 Teaching in Charter Schools: Is it Different? Author: Bomotti, Sally; Ginsberg, Rick; Cobb, Brian Availability: Journal Citation: Teaching and Change, v7 n3 p273-98 Spr 2000 Publication Date: 2000 ISSN: 1068-378X Language: English Document Type: Journal articles (080); Reports--Research (143) Journal Announcement: CIJNOV2000 Abstract: Surveyed traditional and charter school teachers to determine their perceptions of the teacher's role, the teaching and learning processes, and teacher empowerment. Results indicated that there were some differences, but the two groups had more in common than not. Charter school teachers did not have deeper involvement in curricular decision making or innovation. Traditional teachers had higher empowerment scores. (SM) Descriptors: *Charter Schools; Educational Change; Educational Environment; Elementary Secondary Education; Nontraditional Education; Public Schools; Teacher Attitudes; *Teacher Empowerment; Teacher Role; Teachers; Teaching Conditions Identifiers: Colorado EJ607361 SP528367 Teachers' Perspectives on Charter School Reform: Lessons from California. Author: Vasudeva, Ash; Grutzik, Cynthia Availability: Journal Citation: Teaching and Change, v7 n3 p235-57 Spr 2000 Publication Date: 2000 ISSN: 1068-378X Language: English Document Type: Journal articles (080); Reports--Research (143) Journal Announcement: CIJNOV2000 Abstract: Interviewed teachers from 17 California charter schools to examine their attitudes toward charter school reform. Results indicated that their professional lives were profoundly influenced by both local and larger contexts for teaching. Locally, they liked teaching at small schools with like-minded professionals. However, their relationships to larger teaching contexts and issues (e.g., licensing systems and unions) often endured. (SM) Descriptors: *Charter Schools; *Educational Change; Elementary Secondary Education; Nontraditional Education; Teacher Attitudes; Teaching Conditions Identifiers: California EJ598985 EA536625 Follow the Money: An Initial Review of Elementary Charter School Spending in Michigan. Author: Prince, Hank Availability: Journal Citation: Journal of Education Finance, v25 n2 p175-94 Fall 1999 Publication Date: 1999 ISSN: 0098-9495 Language: English Document Type: Journal articles (080); Reports--Evaluative (142) Journal Announcement: CIJJUL2000 Abstract: Examined whether Michigan's elementary charter schools' expenditures differ from those of comparable-enrollment local districts. During 1995-96, charters spent an average of 57 percent of revenues on instruction and about 43 percent on support services, compared to 65 and 35 percent for comparable districts. Charters' administrative expenditures were higher. (Contains 21 references.) (MLH) Descriptors: *Charter Schools; Comparative Analysis; Elementary Education; *Expenditures; *Instruction; *Resource Allocation; School Districts; *Services; *State Legislation Identifiers: *Michigan EJ598401 TM522367 Teachers in Charter and Traditional Schools: A Comparative Study. Author: Bomotti, Sally; Ginsberg, Rick; Cobb, Brian Availability: Journal Citation: Education Policy Analysis Archives, v7 n22 1999 Publication Date: 1999 ISSN: 1068-2341 Language: English Document Type: Journal articles (080); Reports--Research (143) Journal Announcement: CIJJUN2000 Abstract: Surveyed approximately 100 teachers from 16 charter schools and 100 teachers from 7 traditional schools about perceptions of teacher empowerment, school climate, and working conditions. Results show consistent and practically significant differences in perceptions of teachers in these types of schools. (SLD) Descriptors: *Charter Schools; Comparative Analysis; *Educational Environment; *Elementary School Teachers; Elementary Secondary Education; Empowerment; *Secondary School Teachers; *Teacher Attitudes; Teacher Surveys; Teaching Conditions Descriptive Terms: Electronic journal available at http://epaa.asu.epaa; 27 pages. This journal is archived in "Resources in Education" (RIE). See TM 030 294. EJ596427 UD521839 Charging Bulls: An Arena for Creating Charter Schools. Author: Matczynski, Thomas J.; Penry, Richard Availability: Journal Citation: Education and Urban Society, v31 n4 p512-25 Aug 1999 Publication Date: 1999 ISSN: 0013-1245 Language: English Document Type: Journal articles (080); Reports--Research (143) Journal Announcement: CIJMAY2000 Abstract: Presents the case study of a collaborative partnership between the Dayton Public Schools (Ohio), the Dayton Education Association (union), and community constituencies in providing elementary education options for students. Outlines lessons learned in the establishment of the World of Wonder Accelerated Primary School. (SLD) Descriptors: Case Studies; *Charter Schools; *Cooperation; Elementary Education; *Partnerships in Education; *School Community Relationship; School Restructuring; *Urban Schools Identifiers: *Dayton Public Schools OH; Reform Efforts Descriptive Terms: Theme issue titled "Charter Schools and Urban Education." EJ596421 UD521833 Charter-Granting Agencies: The Challenges of Oversight in a Deregulated System. Author: Hassel, Bryan C.; Vergari, Sandra Availability: Journal Citation: Education and Urban Society, v31 n4 p406-28 Aug 1999 Publication Date: 1999 ISSN: 0013-1245 Language: English Document Type: Journal articles (080); Reports--Research (143) Journal Announcement: CIJMAY2000 Abstract: Analyzed information from 14 charter-granting agencies (CGAs) to understand the challenges they have faced in their roles as charter school gatekeepers. CGAs use diverse strategies to meet their responsibilities, but in many cases the processes by which charter schools will be held accountable have not been well-developed. (SLD) Descriptors: Accountability; *Charter Schools; *Educational Administration; Elementary Secondary Education; Nontraditional Education; *Public Agencies; School Choice; *School Restructuring; Urban Schools Descriptive Terms: Theme issue titled "Charter Schools and Urban Education." Research supported in part by the Research Foundation of the State University of New York. EJ591106 EA536189 The Performance of Grant Maintained Schools in England: An Experiment in Autonomy. Author: Levacic, Rosalind; Hardman, Jason Availability: Journal Citation: Journal of Education Policy, v14 n2 p185-212 Mar-Apr 1999 Publication Date: 1999 ISSN: 0268-0939 Language: English Document Type: Journal articles (080); Reports--Research (143) Journal Announcement: CIJMAR2000 Abstract: Examines recruitment and examination performance of 327 British grant-maintained schools from 1991 to 1996, compared to 108 local education authority schools. The GM schools' apparently higher performance may be attributed to having fewer socially disadvantaged students and reducing this proportion over time. Implications are discussed. Contains 33 references. (MLH) Descriptors: *Academic Achievement; *Charter Schools; *Cost Effectiveness; Disadvantaged; Foreign Countries; *School Effectiveness; Secondary Education Identifiers: *England; *Grant Maintained Schools (Great Britain) EJ589463 EA536134 The Catalyst Role of Charter Schools. Author: Rofes, Eric Availability: Journal Citation: School Administrator, v56 n7 p14-18 Aug 1999 Publication Date: 1999 ISSN: 0036-6439 Language: English Document Type: Journal articles (080); Reports--Descriptive (141); Reports--Evaluative (142) Journal Announcement: CIJFEB2000 Abstract: Some superintendents successfully exploit competitive intentions of the charter-school movement to improve district schools. A 1997 study of randomly selected districts found that half had experienced little financial effects from charters. Districts often lose certain ethnic groups and disgruntled parents. Ripple effects and policy recommendations are discussed. (MLH) Descriptors: *Change Strategies; *Charter Schools; *Competition; *Educational Change; Elementary Secondary Education; Financial Problems; Leadership; School Districts Identifiers: *Catalysts; Denver Public Schools CO; *Financial Disincentives; Minnesota EJ589462 EA536133 Negotiating a Steady Course with Charters. Author: Steinberger, Elizabeth Donohoe Availability: Journal Citation: School Administrator, v56 n7 p6-12 Aug 1999 Publication Date: 1999 ISSN: 0036-6439 Language: English Document Type: Journal articles (080); Reports--Evaluative (142) Journal Announcement: CIJFEB2000 Abstract: Pioneer district/charter-school contracts try to balance the quest for autonomy with accountability requirements. Districts' experiences in three states (Colorado, Oregon, and Wisconsin) and their chosen navigation tools offer clues to developing productive processes and relationships for negotiating successful contracts. A sidebar defines the federal role. (MLH) Descriptors: *Accountability; Administrative Problems; *Charter Schools; *Contracts; Educational Finance; Elementary Secondary Education; Federal Government; *Governance; Government Role; *Institutional Autonomy; Legal Problems; *Negotiation Agreements Identifiers: Colorado; Salem Public Schools OR; Wisconsin EJ588412 JC508486 Teachers' Views of Moral-Education Topics--Taiwan and the USA. Author: Lin, Huey-Ya; Davidman, Patricia; Petersen, George; Thomas, R. Murray Availability: Journal Citation: International Review of Education/Internationale Zeitschrift fuer Erziehungswissenschaft/Revue Internationale de l'Education, v44 n1 p65-85 1998 Publication Date: 1998 ISSN: 0020-8566 Language: English Document Type: Journal articles (080); Opinion papers (120); Reports--Evaluative (142) Journal Announcement: CIJJAN2000 Abstract: Surveys teachers in Taiwan and the United States to judge among 20 moral issues as appropriate subjects of study in grade six of primary school and in freshman year of college. Finds a great diversity of responses within each group. Identifies some differences between the respondents in the two countries. Contains 51 references. (VWC) Descriptors: College Freshmen; Comparative Education; *Ethical Instruction; Foreign Countries; Grade 6; Higher Education; Intermediate Grades; *Moral Development; Moral Issues; Moral Values; *Multicultural Education; Student Behavior; Student Development; *Teacher Attitudes; *Values Education Identifiers: *Taiwan; *United States EJ587017 UD521531 California's Charter Schools: Promises v. Performance. Author: Wells, Amy Stuart Availability: Journal Citation: American Educator, v23 n1 p18-21,24,52 Spr 1999 Publication Date: 1999 ISSN: 0148-432X Language: English Document Type: Journal articles (080); Reports--Research (143) Journal Announcement: CIJDEC1999 Abstract: Studied charter schools in California, using case studies and more than 450 interviews with teachers, administrators, parents, and community members. Focused on four assumptions usually made about charter schools to show that these schools are not, for the most part, the highly autonomous, accountable, and efficient schools of choice promised by supporters. (SLD) Descriptors: *Accountability; Administrators; Case Studies; *Charter Schools; Elementary Secondary Education; Interviews; Power Structure; *School Choice; School Effectiveness; Teachers Identifiers: *California EJ577270 EA535374 Pondering the Complexities of School Choice. Author: Bomotti, Sally Availability: Journal Citation: Phi Delta Kappan, v80 n4 p313-16 Dec 1998 Publication Date: 1998 ISSN: 0031-7217 Language: English Document Type: Journal articles (080); Reports--Descriptive (141); Reports--Research (143) Journal Announcement: CIJAUG1999 Abstract: Discusses findings of two studies conducted in the Poudre District in Fort Collins, Colorado, which had experienced rapid implementations of in-district choice, a school-within-a-school, several public alternative schools, and a charter school. Debate rages over relationships between public schools and their communities, school choice and academic standards, control of resources, and equity issues. (MLH) Descriptors: *Academic Standards; *Charter Schools; Elementary Secondary Education; *Equal Education; House Plan; Neighborhood Schools; *Program Evaluation; *School Choice Identifiers: *Poudre School District CO EJ577269 EA535373 Charter School Reform in California: Does It Meet Objectives? Author: Wells, Amy Stuart; And Others Availability: Journal Citation: Phi Delta Kappan, v80 n4 p305-12 Dec 1998 Publication Date: 1998 ISSN: 0031-7217 Language: English Document Type: Journal articles (080); Reports--Research (143) Journal Announcement: CIJAUG1999 Abstract: A study of 17 charter schools in 10 California districts concludes that these schools have not lived up to the assumptions propelling them. Charters fell short on accountability, administrative autonomy, funding efficiency, choice and admissions, infusion of competition, and instructional innovation. Public school educators claim charters are isolated and enjoy "unfair advantages." (24 references) (MLH) Descriptors: *Academic Achievement; *Accountability; *Charter Schools; Efficiency; Elementary Secondary Education; Instructional Innovation; Misconceptions; Privatization; Professional Autonomy; *Program Evaluation; School Choice Identifiers: *California EJ575206 EA535153 Edison Scores and Scores Again in Boston. Author: Chubb, John E. Availability: Journal Citation: Phi Delta Kappan, v80 n3 p205-12 Nov 1998 Publication Date: 1998 ISSN: 0031-7217 Language: English Document Type: Journal articles (080); Opinion papers (120); Reports--Descriptive (141) Journal Announcement: CIJJUL1999 Abstract: Peggy Farber's stories (in the March 1998 "Kappan") about a few individuals at Boston Renaissance Charter School have a place in evaluating the program. However, the real story cannot be drawn from a few isolated, highly selective anecdotes. A balanced evaluation would have framed the discussion around the schools' progress with special-needs students and its phenomenal success. (MLH) Descriptors: *Academic Achievement; *Charter Schools; Elementary Secondary Education; Misconceptions; Program Development; *Program Evaluation; *Special Education; Success Identifiers: *Edison Project Descriptive Terms: For related article see EA 535 154. EJ572730 SP526995 Charter Schools: Accomplishments and Dilemmas. Author: Manno, Bruno V.; Finn, Chester E., Jr.; Vanourek, Gregg; Bierlein, Louann A. Availability: Journal Citation: Teachers College Record, v99 n3 p537-58 Spr 1998 Publication Date: 1998 ISSN: 0161-4681 Language: English Document Type: Journal articles (080); Reports--Descriptive (141) Journal Announcement: CIJMAY1999 Abstract: Presents results from the Hudson Institute's Charter Schools in Action, a two-year research project that evaluated the creation, operation, and impact of charter schools. The paper discusses the charter notion and examines accomplishments achieved and dilemmas confronted by various charter schools. The study concludes that charter schools are a promising market-based strategy for changing today's education system. (SM) Descriptors: Change Strategies; *Charter Schools; Educational Change; Educational Improvement; Elementary Secondary Education; Institutional Autonomy; Nontraditional Education; Public Education EJ571860 EC619729 Charter Schools in Colorado and Their Response to the Education of Students with Disabilities. Author: McLaughlin, Margaret J.; Henderson, Kelly Availability: Journal Citation: Journal of Special Education, v32 n2 p99-107 Sum 1998 Publication Date: 1998 ISSN: 0022-4669 Language: English Document Type: Journal articles (080); Reports--Evaluative (142) Journal Announcement: CIJMAY1999 Abstract: This study examined provisions for special education services in state charter school legislation through document reviews, a survey of charter schools, interviews, and site visits to four Colorado charter schools. It found significant variability across states and among the Colorado charter schools in how students with disabilities access the schools as well as how special education is provided. (Author/DB) Descriptors: *Access to Education; *Charter Schools; *Delivery Systems; *Disabilities; Educational Legislation; Elementary Secondary Education; Nontraditional Education; *Special Education; *State Legislation; Surveys Identifiers: *Colorado EJ562505 EA534447 The Edison Project Scores--and Stumbles--in Boston. Author: Farber, Peggy Availability: Journal Citation: Phi Delta Kappan v79 n7 p506-11 Mar 1998 Publication Date: 1998-00-00 ISSN: ISSN-0031-7217 Language: English Document Type: Journal Articles (080); Reports (141) Journal Announcement: CIJOCT1998 Abstract: Evidence from the Boston Renaissance Charter School suggests that the Edison Project is struggling fitfully to learn school management. Reliance on suspension and physical restraints demonstrates Edison Project's lack of experience with inner-city children. Test scores are up, but faculty are warring over school mission, teachers are struggling to control classrooms, and a few vocal parents are moving to oust the principal. (MLH) Descriptors: *Charter Schools; *Discipline; Elementary Education; *Failure; Performance Contracts; Principals; Program Evaluation; *Suspension; Urban Schools Identifiers: Boston Public Schools MA; Contract Schools; *Edison Project; Management Practices EJ562503 EA534445 How Charter Schools Are Different: Lessons and Implications from a National Study. Author: Manno, Bruno V.; Finn, Chester E., Jr.; Bierlin, Louann A.; Vanourek, Gregg Availability: Journal Citation: Phi Delta Kappan v79 n7 p488-98 Mar 1998 Publication Date: 1998-00-00 ISSN: ISSN-0031-7217 Language: English Document Type: Journal Articles (080); Reports (143) Journal Announcement: CIJOCT1998 Abstract: Provides background information on the Hudson Institute's Charter Schools in Action project that studied 50 charter schools in 10 states. Examines innovative ways charter schools organize and support themselves, and presents five lessons from the charter-school movement. Public schools would benefit by becoming more consumer-oriented, diverse, flexible, accountable, goal-driven, professional, and voluntary institutions. (MLH) Descriptors: Accountability; *Charter Schools; Educational Innovation; Elementary Secondary Education; Goal Orientation; Program Design; *School Choice; *School Organization Identifiers: *Hudson Institute EJ560902 EA534357 Private and Decentralized Public Schools: Do They Speak the Same Language? Author: Madsen, Jean Availability: Journal Citation: International Journal of Educational Reform v7 n2 p20-33 Jan 1998 Publication Date: 1998-00-00 ISSN: ISSN-1056-7879 Language: English Document Type: Journal Articles (080); Reports (143) Journal Announcement: CIJSEP1998 Abstract: Summarizes a study examining exchanges among private and decentralized school leaders and their possible implications for school decentralization. Four principals were interviewed, two from established private schools and two from charter schools operating within a large urban district. All were formulating mission statements. Private-school principals were more facilitative and market-driven, stressed historical mission, and dealt more proactively with parents. (21 references) (MLH) Descriptors: *Administrator Role; Case Studies; *Charter Schools; Comparative Education; *Decentralization; Elementary Secondary Education; Leadership Styles; Parent Participation; *Principals; *Private Schools; Privatization; *Public Schools; Urban Schools Identifiers: *Facilitative Leadership EJ550542 EA533784 Charter Schools: Whom Do They Serve, and How Well? Author: Perkins-Gough, Deborah Availability: Journal Citation: ERS Spectrum v15 n3 p3-9 Sum 1997 Publication Date: 1997-00-00 ISSN: ISSN-0740-7874 Language: English Document Type: Journal Articles (080); Reports (142) Journal Announcement: CIJFEB1998 Abstract: To help educators assess charter schools' effects on education, this article summarizes information from two studies: the U.S. Department of Education's ongoing National Study of Charter Schools and the Hudson Institute's 1996-97 Charter Schools in Action Project. Charter schools are growing in number, serving diverse student populations, and satisfying their constituents' expressed needs. (MLH) Descriptors: *Academic Achievement; *Charter Schools; *Educational Change; Elementary Secondary Education; *Enrollment Trends; Parent Attitudes; *Program Effectiveness; School Choice; Student Attitudes Identifiers: *Department of Education; *Hudson Institute Target Audience: Practitioners EJ549959 SP526212 Parent Involvement Contracts in California's Charter Schools: Strategy for Educational Improvement or Method of Exclusion? Author: Becker, Henry J.; And Others Availability: Journal Citation: Teachers College Record v98 n3 p511-36 Spr 1997 Publication Date: 1997-00-00 ISSN: ISSN-0161-4681 Language: English Document Type: Journal Articles (080); Reports (143) Journal Announcement: CIJJAN1998 Abstract: Examines parent involvement contracts in charter schools, exploring data from a survey of California's charter schools and comparison schools. The study finds that charter schools have greater levels of parent involvement, but the involvement may be due to selectivity in the kinds of families participating in charter schools. (SM) Descriptors: *Charter Schools; Contracts; Educational Change; *Educational Improvement; Elementary Secondary Education; Enrollment; *Parent Participation; *Parent School Relationship; Selective Admission Identifiers: California EJ527550 EA532265 Roads to Reform. Author: DeSpain, B. C.; Livingston, Martha Availability: Journal Citation: American School Board Journal v183 n7 p17-20 Jul 1996 Publication Date: 1996-00-00 ISSN: ISSN-0003-0953 Language: English Document Type: Reports (143); Journal Articles (080) Journal Announcement: CIJDEC1996 Abstract: A survey asked a national random sample of 1,500 school board presidents and the executives of all 1,300 local chambers of commerce for their opinions on charter schools, privatization, and vouchers. Board presidents are likely to support the traditional education establishment. Chamber executives tend to support free-market initiatives for improving public schools. (MLF) Descriptors: *Administrator Attitudes; *Boards of Education; *Business; *Charter Schools; *Educational Vouchers; Elementary Secondary Education; *Privatization; Public Schools; School Surveys Target Audience: Policymakers EJ519732 EA531679 Promise and Progress. Author: Medler, Alex Availability: Journal Citation: American School Board Journal v183 n3 p26-28 Mar 1996 Publication Date: 1996-00-00 ISSN: ISSN-0003-0953 Language: English Document Type: Reports (143); Journal Articles (080) Journal Announcement: CIJJUL1996 Abstract: The Education Commission of the States along with the Center for School Change at the University of Minnesota surveyed 110 charter schools, more than two-thirds of the schools approved in 7 states. Charter school officials advise others interested in opening their own school to establish a clear vision, mission, and philosophy, and to devote plenty of time to planning. (MLF) Descriptors: *Charter Schools; *Educational Innovation; Elementary Secondary Education; *Public Schools EJ509880 EA530054 Start-Up Experiences: A Survey. Author: Dianda, Marcella R.; Corwin, Ronald G. Availability: Journal Citation: Educational Leadership v52 n1 p42-43 Sep 1994 Publication Date: 1995-00-00 ISSN: ISSN-0013-1784 Language: English Document Type: Reports (141); Journal Articles (080) Journal Announcement: CIJJAN1996 Abstract: A survey shows that California's charter-schools movement is being shaped by the special features of the state's charter law--exclusive local oversight and ambiguous legal status. Each school must negotiate how it handles its local school board, teachers' unions, and lack of start-up funding and technical assistance. Most charter schools seek freedom, not autonomy. (MLH) Descriptors: *Boards of Education; *Charter Schools; Elementary Education; *Nontraditional Education; *School Based Management; *School District Autonomy; *Unions Identifiers: *California DocumentsED464384 EA031588Using Hirschman's Concept of Exit, Voice, and Loyalty To Understand Public Response to the Charter School Movement. Author: King, Dan L.; Taylor-King, Sheila Availability: Northeast and Islands Regional Educational Laboratory at Brown University, 222 Richmond Street, Suite 300, Providence RI 02903-4226. Tel: 800-521-9550 (Toll Free); Fax: 401-421-7650; e-mail: lab@brown.edu; Web site: http://www.lab.brown.edu. Publication Date: 2002 Language: English Document Type: Speeches/meeting papers (150); Test/questionnaires (160) Journal Announcement: RIENOV2002 Abstract: When consumers perceive a lessening in the value of any particular good or service provided by a free-market private enterprise, the likelihood of exit (that is, their choice of an alternative provider) is high. Parents of students enrolled in public schools, on the other hand, typically have not been able to choose an alternative service provider. In 1991 Minnesota became the first state to establish charter schools as an alternative means of funding and organizing the delivery of public education. During the 2-year period of 1999-2001, 23 new charter schools began operation in the state of New York. From these operating charter schools, five schools were selected for inclusion in this study. Of the 145 surveys distributed to the parents of approximately one-third of the enrolled students in each of the schools, 39 useful responses were obtained (27 percent). The survey instrument was designed to obtain information on: (1) factors that influenced the decision to enroll in the charter school; and (2) the type of relationship parents had with the students' previous schools. The statement, "Personnel at my child's previous public school were not sufficiently responsive to my concern as a parent" was judged to be first among the items that influenced the decision to transfer schools; it was most uniformly agreed to be a factor. Considering Hirschman's model of exit, voice, and loyalty, one can hypothesize that at least among this small sample of parents of charter-school students, the failure of the previously attended public school to attend to parents' "voice" became a significant issue for parents. (Includes a questionnaire.) (DFR) Descriptors: *Charter Schools; *Competition; Economic Factors; *Educational Economics; Educational Finance; Elementary Secondary Education; *Finance Reform; *Organizational Development; Parent Participation; Parochial Schools; Public Schools; Descriptive Terms: Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Education Finance Association (Albuquerque, NM, March 2001). Geographic Source: U.S.; New York ED464187 UD034973 Measuring Up: How Chicago's Charter Schools Make Their Missions Count. Author: Lin, Margaret Y. Institutional Author: Leadership for Quality Education, Chicago, IL.(BBB37080) Availability: Leadership for Quality Education, Charter School Resource Center, 21 S. Clark St., Suite 3120, Chicago, IL 60603 ($8). Tel: 312-853-3696; Web site: http://www.lqe.org/charter. Sponsoring Agency: Chicago Community Trust, IL. (BBB00902)@; Lloyd A. Fry Foundation, Chicago, IL. (BBB26035)@; Polk Bros. Foundation, Chicago, IL. (BBB35998) Publication Date: 2001 Language: English Document Type: Reports--Descriptive (141) Journal Announcement: RIEOCT2002 Abstract: This booklet highlights instructive work and experiences from four demonstration charter schools in Chicago that have developed unique, mission-based accountability measures for their performance contracts with the Chicago School Reform Board of Trustees. These schools developed their new accountability measures between June 1998 and January 2000. The learning standards and alternative assessments developed by these schools (unique learning measures) augment state and district accountability requirements governing Chicago's charters. They do so by offering ways to gauge and demonstrate attainment of vital school goals that are not readily or adequately measured by standardized assessment. Five sections present "Overview of Chicago's Charter School Standards and Assessment Project"; "Unique Learning Measures Created by Chicago's Demonstration Charter Schools"; "Tools from Chicago's Charter School Standards and Assessment Project"; "Participants' Reflections and Lessons Learned"; and "Reflections for Charter Authorities and Policy Leaders." Six appendixes present a glossary, an evaluation tool for school-developed assessments, sample tools for unique learning measures, federal resources, National Charter School Accountability Network, and standards and assessment resources. (SM) Descriptors: Academic Standards; *Accountability; *Alternative Assessment; *Charter Schools; Elementary Secondary Education; School Restructuring; Student Evaluation Identifiers: Chicago Public Schools IL Descriptive Terms: Also supported by Camalott Charitable Foundation, Kinship Foundation, Price Charitable Trusts, and Walton Family Foundation. Geographic Source: U.S.; Illinois ED464186 UD034971 Going Charter: New Models of Support. Year Two Findings from New York City's Charter Schools. Charter School Research Project. Author: Ascher, Carol; Echazarreta, Juan; Jacobowitz, Robin; McBride, Yolanda; Troy, Tammi; Wamba, Nathalis Institutional Author: New York Univ., NY. Inst. for Education and Social Policy.(BBB33307) Availability: Institute for Education and Social Policy, Steinhardt School of Education, New York University, 726 Broadway, 5th Floor, New York, NY 10003. Tel: 212-998-5880; Fax: 212-995-4564. For full text: http://www.nyu.edu/iesp. Sponsoring Agency: Rockefeller Foundation, New York, NY. (BBB00165)@; Annie E. Casey Foundation, Baltimore, MD. (BBB32721) Publication Date: December 2001 Language: English Document Type: Reports--Research (143) Journal Announcement: RIEOCT2002 Abstract: This report synthesizes the year 2 findings of a 3-year qualitative study of autonomy, accountability, finance, and supports in New York City charter schools. In 2000-2001, the study sample included 10 schools (8 charter and 2 alternative schools considering charter status). Section 1 reviews the literature on supports provided to traditional public schools, analyzes the school district's role, reviews the literature on intermediary organizations, and examines studies on the relationship between charter schools and the private nonprofit and for-profit organizations partnering with them. Section 2 describes the research methodology. Section 3 maps the sources of support being built and used by charter schools in New York City and notes implications of these new support arrangements. Overall, the 10 study schools used a range of voluntary overlapping supports that added to the material and human resources available from their public funding. Policy recommendations include increasing funding for charter schools to the level received by other public schools, encouraging charter schools to draw on traditional public schools' and districts' services and expertise, and helping charter school educators and representatives from the private sector to work out issues of governance and authority. (Contains 16 references.) (SM) Descriptors: *Charter Schools; *Educational Finance; Elementary Secondary Education; *Financial Support; Partnerships in Education; Public Schools; Urban Schools Identifiers: New York City Board of Education Geographic Source: U.S.; New York ED462415 TM033677 "Does Charter School Attendance Improve Test Scores?" Comments and Reactions on the Arizona Achievement Study. Upjohn Institute Staff Working Paper. Author: Nelson, Christopher; Hollenbeck, Kevin Institutional Author: Upjohn (W.E.) Inst. for Employment Research, Kalamazoo, MI.(MVK89690) Availability: Publications Department, W. E. Upjohn Institute, 300 S. Westnedge Avenue, Kalamazoo, MI 49007-4686. Tel: 616-343-4330; Fax: 616-343-7310; Web site: http://www.upjohninst.org. For full text: http://www.upjohninst.org/publications/wp01/-70.pdf. Publication Date: July 13, 2001 Report Number: WP-01-70 Language: English Document Type: Book/product reviews (072) Journal Announcement: RIEAUG2002 Abstract: In a recent report, Lewis Solmon, Kern Paark, and David Garcia (2001) seek to identify the impact of attending charter schools on student achievement using data from Arizona. Based on a sophisticated statistical analysis, these authors report that charter school attendance increases test score gains of students. This note raises some questions about the interpretation of the results reported and some questions about the empirical approach and underlying data. First, the report relies on a 2-x-2 evaluation design with type of school (charter or traditional) attended in a base year as the rows and type of school in the ensuing year as the columns. The report compares the observations in a cell of the design matrix to all other cells. This note questions the validity of that approach and suggests that the way that the data were constructed allows comparisons only across the rows. Second, the note questions whether grade level was used in the data matching procedure used to construct the comparison sample. Third, the note questions whether sex was used as a covariate in the outcomes equation and whether building or district fixed effects were used to control for unobservable factors at those aggregate levels. Finally, the note suggests that marginal costs are more appropriate for a cost-benefit or cost effectiveness analysis than average costs, which were used in the summary section of the report. (Author) Descriptors: *Academic Achievement; Achievement Gains; *Charter Schools; Elementary Secondary Education; Nontraditional Education; *Research Design; Research Problems; *Statistical Analysis; Validity Identifiers: *Arizona Descriptive Terms: Reviews Solmon, L., Paark, K., and Garcia, D. "Does Charter School Attendance Improve Test Scores? The Arizona Results." Phoenix, AZ: Goldwater Institute, 2001. Geographic Source: U.S.; Michigan ED461630 SP040200 New Rules, New Roles? The Professional Work Lives of Charter School Teachers. A Preliminary Study. Author: Koppich, Julia E.; Holmes, Patricia; Plecki, Margaret L. Institutional Author: National Education Association, Washington, DC.(FGK56700) Availability: NEA Professional Library, Distribution Center, P.O. Box 2035, Annapolis Junction, MD 20701-2035. Tel: 800-229-4200 (Toll Free). For full text: http://www.nea.org/issues/charter/newrules.html. Publication Date: 1998 Language: English Document Type: Reports--Research (143) Journal Announcement: RIEJUL2002 Descriptors: Case Studies; *Charter Schools; Elementary Secondary Education; State Legislation; Teacher Associations; Teacher Attitudes; Teacher Characteristics; *Teacher Role; *Teaching Conditions; Unions; Geographic Source: U.S.; District of Columbia ED460431 EA029854 Charter School Program: An Evaluation. Author: Stuiber, Paul; Swenson, Dean; Normandin, Heidi; Varana, David Institutional Author: Wisconsin State Legislative Audit Bureau, Madison.(BBB33244) Availability: Legislative Audit Bureau, 131 W. Wilson St., Suite 402, Madison, WI 53703. Tel: 608-266-2818; e-mail: leg.audit.info@legis.state.wi.us. For full text: http://www.legis.state.wi.us/lab/reports. Publication Date: December 1998 Report Number: No-98-15 Language: English Document Type: Reports--Evaluative (142) Journal Announcement: RIEJUN2002 Descriptors: *Charter Schools; Comparative Analysis; Data Analysis; *Educational Assessment; Educational Finance; Elementary Secondary Education; Nontraditional Education; Program Evaluation Identifiers: *Wisconsin Descriptive Terms: Edited by Jeanne Thieme. Geographic Source: U.S.; Wisconsin ED459432 CS014567 Charter Schools and Their Impact on Reading and Writing. Author: Ripley, Abida Availability: Educational Print and Outreach, WGBH, 125 Western Ave., Boston, MA 02134. Tel: 617-492-2777, ext. 3848; Web site: http://www.wgbh.org/lions/. For full text: http://pbskids.org/lions/. Publication Date: 2000 Language: English Document Type: Reports--Descriptive (141) Journal Announcement: RIEMAY2002 Descriptors: *Charter Schools; Educational Research; Elementary Secondary Education; Public Education; *Reading Achievement; *School Choice; *Scores; *Writing Achievement Identifiers: Research Results Geographic Source: U.S.; Virginia ED457579 EA031331 What the Research Reveals about Charter Schools: A Summary and Analysis of the Studies. Institutional Author: Center for Education Reform, Washington, DC.(BBB33492) Availability: Center for Education Reform, 1001 Connecticut Ave., NW, Ste. 204, Washington, DC 20036 ($14.95). Tel: 800-521-2118 (Toll Free); Fax: 202-822-5077; Web site: http://edreform.com/. For full text: http://www.edreform.com/pubs/charters.htm. Publication Date: November 2000 Language: English Pages: 22 Document Type: Information Analysis (070); Reference materials--Bibliographies (131) Journal Announcement: RIEMAR2002 Abstract: The focus of most analysts involved in education reform seems to be whether charter schools are successful. This paper identifies 53 research-based studies that draw mainly objective conclusions based on evaluation of data. Literally, hundreds of policy papers, study articles, and analyses have been written on the charter-school phenomenon, an educational innovation that has skyrocketed from just one school in 1992 to more than 2,000 schools in place for the 2000-2001 school year. This report summarizes each of the 53 studies and offers critiques of charter schools. The majority (50) of these papers assert that charter schools have been innovative, accountable, and successful and have created both opportunities for the children who attend them and have had a positive "ripple" effect on traditional public schools within their jurisdiction. An appendix contains common criticisms from opponents and proof they are unfounded. (DFR) Descriptors: Academic Achievement; Accountability; *Charter Schools; *Comparative Analysis; Educational Change; Elementary Secondary Education; *Equal Education; Institutional Autonomy; Nontraditional Education; Public Schools; *Research Projects; *Scores Geographic Source: U.S.; District of Columbia ED457166 TM033256 An Examination of Student Achievement in Michigan Charter Schools. Staff Working Papers. Author: Eberts, Randall W.; Hollenbeck, Kevin M. Institutional Author: Upjohn (W.E.) Inst. for Employment Research, Kalamazoo, MI.(MVK89690) Availability: Publications Department, W. E. Upjohn Institute, 300 S. Westnedge Avenue, Kalamazoo, MI 49007-4686. Tel: 616-343-4330; Fax: 616-343-7310; Web site: http://www.upjohninst.org. For full text: http/www.upjohninst.org/publications/wp/01/-68.pdf. Publication Date: March 09, 2001 Report Number: WP-01-68 Language: English Pages: 48 Document Type: Reports--Research (143) Journal Announcement: RIEFEB2002 Abstract: This paper focuses on student achievement in charter schools in Michigan. The analyses suggest that students attending charter schools in Michigan are not reaching the same levels of achievement as students in traditional public schools in the same districts. Using several different models to estimate the differences between test score levels of students attending charter schools and those from traditional public schools in the same districts, the analyses indicate that students attending a charter school scored around 2% to 4% lower on the state's mandatory fourth grade reading and mathematics assessment. Fifth grade students in charter schools scored about 4% lower on the science test and about 6% to 9% lower on the writing test. The model controls for student, building, and district characteristics. The results are robust to several different specifications. However, many caveats are in order. Test scores are imperfect indicators of achievement. Furthermore, while the test scores of individual students are examined, researchers are able to control for student and teacher characteristics only in a limited way, and some of the explanatory variables are based on aggregate-building level and district-level information. Nevertheless, analyses suggest that despite the fact that charter schools have the ability to introduce competition and innovations in the provision of education, the evidence from this study implies that they will need to make up considerable ground as they become more established in order to overtake the test score levels and gains of students at traditional public schools. (Contains 15 notes, 8 tables, and 5 references.) (SLD) Descriptors: *Academic Achievement; *Charter Schools; Elementary Secondary Education; *School Choice; Scores; Test Results Identifiers: *Michigan Descriptive Terms: Portions of this paper were prepared for a conference entitled "Devising Incentives to Promote Human Capital" organized by Eric Hanushek, James Heckman, and Derek Neal and sponsored by the National Academy of Sciences. Geographic Source: U.S.; Michigan ED456552 EA031253 An Exploratory Study of the Impact of Charter Schools on Reducing the White-Minority Achievement Gap in North Carolina. Author: Bingham, C. Steven; Harman, Patrick; Finney, Pamela; Hood, Art Institutional Author: SERVE: SouthEastern Regional Vision for Education.(BBB29603) Availability: Program on Education Leadership, SERVE, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, P.O. Box 5367, Greensboro, NC 27435. Publication Date: March 22, 2001 Language: English Pages: 25 Document Type: Numerical/Quantitative Data (110); Reports--Research (143); Speeches/meeting papers (150) Journal Announcement: RIEFEB2002 Abstract: An important challenge facing education today is the difference in academic achievement among students of different ethnic and racial backgrounds. This situation prompted a study to examine the impact of charter schools on North Carolina's white-minority achievement gap. Examination of test-score gaps between disadvantaged African-American minority and White students in regular North Carolina public schools provides a benchmark by which to examine the gap-reduction benefit of charter schools serving disadvantaged minorities. Because of the quantitative-descriptive research design used and variables such as poverty level, learning disabilities, and behavioral and emotional handicaps not controlled for, no inferences can be drawn from study results that charter schools reduce the achievement gap. Study results show that charter-school student achievement varies at least as widely as it does in regular district public schools. However, six charter schools demonstrated reduced achievement gaps, suggesting the need for further research, be done to explore why, and why at so few schools. No recommendations can be made to policymakers and practitioners at this time because of the exploratory nature of this study. The report includes 15 references, 2 figures, and 8 tables. (RT) Descriptors: *Academic Achievement; *Charter Schools; *Educationally Disadvantaged; Elementary Secondary Education; Equal Education; Public Schools Identifiers: *North Carolina Descriptive Terms: Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the North Carolina Association for Research in Education (Charlotte, NC, March 22, 2001). Carolyn Cobb, Gongshu Zhang, Grova Bridges, and Olinda Williams contributed to the study. Geographic Source: U.S.; North Carolina ED456527 EA031200 Somerville Charter School: Management Issues and Recommendations. Institutional Author: Massachusetts State Office of the Inspector General, Boston.(BBB35929) Availability: EDRS Price MF01/PC02 Plus Postage. Governmental Status: State Publication Date: January 2001 Report Number: 18281-50-7.5C-01/01-IGO Language: English Pages: 43 Document Type: Legal/Legislative/Regulatory materials (090); Reports--Research (143) Journal Announcement: RIEFEB2002 Abstract: Somerville Charter School was among 24 Massachusetts charter schools included in a study undertaken by the Office of the Inspector General in March 1998. The office identified weaknesses in the contracting practices, procurement procedures, and financial management of some schools, including Somerville. These weaknesses could undermine the schools' ability to achieve their educational objectives and jeopardize the interests of state taxpayers whose dollars fund charter schools. The study was followed by an audit review in November 1999, which generated this report. The Inspector General recommends that the Board of Trustees should hire its own staff to oversee the school's business operations; should consider managing the school's business operations with its own staff when the school's contract with its service company, SABIS, Inc., expires in 2001; should oversee the preparation and execution of the school's annual budget; should select, contract with, and oversee the school's independent auditor; and should seek guidance regarding its fiduciary duty and establish procedures to comply with the requirements of the open meeting law. Three tables illustrate school financial activities. Appendix A is the response of the Somerville Charter School Board of Trustees to the report of the Office of the Inspector General. (RT) Descriptors: *Charter Schools; Elementary Education; *Finance Reform; Financial Audits; *Governing Boards; Government Publications; *Money Management; School Accounting Identifiers: *Massachusetts Descriptive Terms: Robert A. Cerasoli, Inspector General. Target Audience: Policymakers Geographic Source: U.S.; Massachusetts ED456524 EA031197 A Charter School Survey: Parents, Teachers, and Principals Speak Out. Author: Riley, Pamela A. Institutional Author: Pacific Research Inst. for Public Policy, San Francisco, CA.(BBB32168) Availability: Pacific Research Institute, 755 Sansome Street, Suite 450, San Francisco, CA 94111 ($12.95). Tel: 415-989-0833; Fax: 415-989-2411; e-mail: pripp@pacificresearch.org; Web site: http://www.pacificresearch.org. Publication Date: February 2000 Language: English Pages: 54 Document Type: Numerical/Quantitative Data (110); Reports--Research (143); Test/questionnaires (160) Journal Announcement: RIEFEB2002 Abstract: Three surveys assessing 100 California charter schools were conducted in 1997-98. Interviewees included teachers, principals, and parents. Findings include: 7 out of 10 charter-school principals report that their schools boast waiting lists; overall, parents selected the school's curriculum as their primary reason for selecting a charter; charter-school students share demographic and socioeconomic characteristics with students in the state's district schools; charter-school principals have been able to establish successfully strong school-parent relationships and have increased parental involvement in their children's education; student attendance and academic performance remarkably improve when the student is enrolled in a charter school; 96 percent of charter-school teachers are held accountable through an evaluation process, done usually annually; 70 percent of California's charter-school teachers spend time every week on school organization and development duties; and 65 percent of teachers deploy parent volunteers in the classroom. Survey results refute the charges of critics that charter schools are racially exclusive and "creaming" only the best, most advanced students. Results also demonstrate conclusively the positive impact of deregulation, local control, and increased autonomy, while also confirming that comprehensive choice is the path to truly meaningful educational reform. Three appendices describe the survey strategy and sample characteristics, and list interview questions. (RT) Descriptors: *Administrator Attitudes; *Charter Schools; *Educational Change; Elementary Secondary Education; *Parent Attitudes; Principals; *School Effectiveness; School Surveys; *Teacher Attitudes Identifiers: *California Descriptive Terms: Financial support provided by the Koret Foundation. Target Audience: Community; Policymakers; Practitioners Geographic Source: U.S.; California ED456493 EA030694 The Initial Study of Pennsylvania Charter Schools. First Annual Report. Author: Miron, Gary Institutional Author: Western Michigan Univ., Kalamazoo. Evaluation Center.(BBB16786) Availability: For full text: http://www.wmich.edu/evalctr/charter/pacharter.html. Sponsoring Agency: Pennsylvania State Dept. of Education, Harrisburg. (SYN71650) Publication Date: 2000 Language: English Pages: 66 Document Type: Numerical/Quantitative Data (110); Reports--Research (143); Test/questionnaires (160) Journal Announcement: RIEFEB2002 Abstract: This is the first annual report of the 17-month initial study of Pennsylvania charter schools. The document contains interim information about the status and development of the state's charter schools and the charter-school initiative as a whole; it is not intended to be a summative evaluation of individual schools or the initiative, and it is not meant to be a full report of all the activities of the schools. The report is largely descriptive and is based upon the first round of surveys conducted during May and June 1999. Information gathered during site visits and interviews is considered to a lesser extent. The assessment opens with a description of charter schools and how they were started in Pennsylvania. It describes the methodology employed to gather data and lists the questions posed by the legislation that created the charter schools. Some of the specific areas addressed by the evaluation include staffing, educational achievement, student attendance, student discipline, governance, community involvement, and financial practices. Results of the teacher, staff, student, and parent surveys are provided. Information on working conditions, expectations, school quality, and school choice is also discussed. An appendix lists the charter schools that were surveyed and their stakeholders' responses. (RJM) Descriptors: Annual Reports; *Charter Schools; Educational Administration; *Educational Assessment; Elementary Secondary Education; Program Descriptions; Program Effectiveness; Program Evaluation; State Surveys Identifiers: *Pennsylvania Descriptive Terms: Some figures may not reproduce well. Geographic Source: U.S.; Michigan ED455578 EA031114 Challenge and Opportunity: The Impact of Charter Schools on School Districts. A Report of the National Study of Charter Schools. Author: Ericson, John; Silverman, Debra; Berman, Paul; Nelson, Beryl; Solomon, Debra Institutional Author: RPP International, Emeryville, CA.(BBB34433) Availability: ED Pubs, P.O. Box 1398, Jessup, MD 20794-1398. Tel: 877-433-7827 (Toll Free). For full text: http://www.ed.gov/pubs/studies.html#charter. Sponsoring Agency: Office of Educational Research and Improvement (ED), Washington, DC. (EDD00036) Publication Date: June 2001 ISBN: 0-16-050855-X Report Number: OAS-2001-6000 Language: English Pages: 65 Document Type: Reports--Evaluative (142) Journal Announcement: RIEJAN2002 Abstract: This report examines the operational and educational changes that school administrators attribute to charter schools. It is part of the U.S. Department of Education's 4-year study to document and analyze the charter-school movement. The study asked two questions: What changes have districts made in district operations and district education that can be attributed to charter schools? and Under what conditions do charter schools affect change in district operations and district education? To answer these questions, researchers conducted in-depth site visits in 14 school districts and interviewed by telephone administrators in 35 other districts. The results indicate that every district in the study reported being affected by charter schools and, accordingly, had made operational changes. Nearly half of the district leaders believed that their diminished budgets were attributable to charter schools and had begun tracking the number of students who attended these schools. Likewise, almost half of these leaders reported becoming more customer-service oriented, increasing their marketing and public-relations efforts, or heightening their frequency of communication with parents. Most districts also implemented new educational programs, made changes in educational structures in district schools, and/or created new schools with programs that were similar to those in the local charter schools. (Contains 20 references.) (RJM) Descriptors: *Administrator Attitudes; *Charter Schools; Economic Impact; Educational Administration; *Educational Change; Elementary Secondary Education; Nontraditional Education; School Choice; School Districts Descriptive Terms: With support from the Institute for Responsive Education. Contract Number: RC95196001 Geographic Source: U.S.; District of Columbia ED455563 EA031084 A Study of Charter School Accountability: National Charter School Accountability Study. Author: Hill, Paul; Lake, Robin; Celio, Mary Beth; Campbell, Christine; Herdman, Paul; Bulkley, Katrina Institutional Author: Office of Educational Research and Improvement (ED), Washington, DC.(EDD00036) Availability: ED Pubs, P.O. Box 1398, Jessup, MD 20794-1398. Tel: 877-433-7827 (Toll Free). Governmental Status: Federal Publication Date: June 2001 Report Number: SAI-2001-3000 Language: English Pages: 414 Document Type: Reports--Descriptive (141) Journal Announcement: RIEJAN2002 Abstract: The most important burden of charter schools is the need to demonstrate that the instruction they provide actually benefits students. They can hire their own teachers, make their own tradeoffs between spending on administration and teaching, locate anywhere in the community, and let parents know in advance what a child must do to succeed in the school. Therefore, charter schools are exempt from many rules, and instead are required to demonstrate student learning. Unlike conventional schools, however, charter schools can lose their public funding and be forced to close if they cannot demonstrate that their students are indeed learning. The question becomes whether performance can replace compliance as a mechanism of accountability to government? Does dependence on parents and teachers force charter schools to ignore their responsibilities to the public? This report studies individual charter schools and their authorizers with differing legal provisions in six states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Massachusetts, and Michigan. It asks how the schools' relationships with authorizers affect their day-to-day operations, and how they develop relationships of trust and confidence. Major findings regarding internal accountability are discussed. The appendix covers survey data and analysis methods. (DFR) Descriptors: Academic Achievement; *Accountability; *Charter Schools; Compliance (Legal); Educational Change; Elementary Secondary Education; *Financial Needs; Financial Support; *Governance; Government Publications; *Government School Relationship; Performance Factors; Public Schools Identifiers: Department of Education Contract Number: RC97110302 Geographic Source: U.S.; District of Columbia ED454607 EA031105 Five Year Charter School Study: An Overview. Arizona Education Analysis. Author: Gifford, Mary; Phillips, Karla; Ogle, Melinda Institutional Author: Goldwater Inst., Phoenix, AZ. Center for Market-Based Education.(BBB36221) Availability: EDRS Price MF01/PC04 Plus Postage. Publication Date: November 2000 Language: English Pages: 87 Document Type: Reports--Evaluative (142); Test/questionnaires (160) Journal Announcement: RIEDEC2001 Abstract: This study examined whether charter schools in Arizona were accomplishing the goals communicated in their charter applications and explored the evolutionary nature of charter schools. Forty highly varied charter schools in Arizona were tracked over 5 years of continuous operation, from 1995 to 2000. Interviews lasting 4 hours were arranged at each school to address the same questions to board members, staff, parents, students, and each school's leader. The questions covered demographics, curriculum, achievement, student performance, personnel, business development, finance/reporting, and sponsorship. The exact questions are listed, and common themes and perceptions are reported in the introductory overview. For example, new teachers are commonly preferred over experienced teachers for various reasons. Charter applications, contracts, amendments, annual reports, annual external audit summaries, Standford 9 test scores, parent satisfaction ratings, Measure of Academic Progress data, and complaints are gathered and tabulated in the appendices. Appendix H tracks the history of charter schools in Arizona and includes news about charter schools that reached the public. One section of the report details the process of becoming a charter school in Arizona. (RKJ) Descriptors: *Accountability; *Charter Schools; *Educational Assessment; Elementary Secondary Education; Nontraditional Education; Tables (Data) Identifiers: *Arizona Descriptive Terms: Organized by the Goldwater Institute's Center for Market-Based Education (CMBE). Geographic Source: U.S.; Arizona ED454271 TM032880 The Utility of Involvement and Talent Development Theory in Assessing Charter School Success: Results from a Pilot Study. Author: Opp, Ronald D.; Hamer, Lynne M.; Beltyukova, Svetlana Availability: EDRS Price MF01/PC02 Plus Postage. Publication Date: April 11, 2001 Language: English Pages: 33 Document Type: Opinion papers (120); Reports--Research (143); Speeches/meeting papers (150) Journal Announcement: RIENOV2001 Abstract: The usefulness of involvement and talent development theory in the assessment of charter schools and their students' success was studied as part of an effort to develop an assessment that would match the views of primary stakeholders (parents and teachers) more authentically. The research considered how parents and teachers define success in charter schools and their students and the nature of the involvement of students, teachers, and parents/guardians in charter schools. For this pilot study, four community charter schools in Lucas County, Ohio, were chosen to represent the different types of schools chartered in this County. Schools included a school for youth with multiple handicaps and behavior disorders, an elementary school emphasizing cooperation, a K-12 school for at-risk youth, and a college preparatory middle school and high school focusing on the performing arts. Focus group interviews were conducted with parents/guardians and teachers in each school, and many of their responses are reported. Interview data was complemented by classroom observation. The study found that the theory of involvement and talent development is useful in assessing the success of charter schools and their students. Student, teacher, and parent involvement, and both cognitive and affective talents were mentioned as indicators of charter school success. The results show that student performance on standardized tests is not the primary way in which charter school parents and teachers define success for the schools or their students. These results suggest that a more nuanced and comprehensive approach to defining and measuring the success of charter schools and their students is needed. (Contains 24 references.) (SLD) Descriptors: *Charter Schools; Educational Theories; Elementary Secondary Education; Focus Groups; *Parent Participation; Parents; Pilot Projects; *School Effectiveness; *Talent; Teachers Identifiers: Ohio; Stakeholders Descriptive Terms: Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association (Seattle, WA, April 10-14, 2001). Paper written with Tracy Barton and Mihoko Ogawa. Geographic Source: U.S.; Ohio ED452599 EA030989 Charter Schools as a Response to Student Drop-Out Phenomena in the Regular Public Schools. Author: Supley, Michael L. Availability: EDRS Price MF01/PC01 Plus Postage. Publication Date: April 2001 Language: English Pages: 21 Document Type: Information Analysis (070); Reports--Evaluative (142); Speeches/meeting papers (150) Journal Announcement: RIEOCT2001 Abstract: Extensive studies over a long period have shown that students have chosen to drop out of school for a variety of reasons. These studies range from a general look at student dropouts to those that focus on specific groups. This paper reports primarily on "At Risk of Dropping Out" data derived from the Texas Education Agency Reports. Selected agency tables from these reports are reproduced in the appendices. The Texas Education Agency data presented in appendices 2 through 9 give a clear indication of the role of the charter-school movement as one response to the "at risk/drop out" student. It does appear that charter schools do serve as a dropout intervention to some degree. An appendix listing "Open-Enrollment Charter Schools Fall 1998 Data Collection" is provided. (Contains 12 references and a 9-page appendix providing statistics from the Texas Education Agency.) (DFR) Descriptors: *Academic Achievement; *Charter Schools; *Dropout Rate; Elementary Secondary Education; *Financial Support; Hispanic Americans; *Institutional Autonomy; *Teacher Competencies; Teacher Student Ratio Identifiers: *Texas Descriptive Terms: Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association (Seattle, Washington, April 10-14, 2001). Appendix contains light type. Geographic Source: U.S.; Texas ED451303 UD034084 Growing Pains: An Evaluation of Charter Schools in the District of Columbia, 1999-2000. Author: Henig, Jeffrey R.; Holyoke, Thomas T.; Lacireno-Paquet, Natalie; Moser, Michele Institutional Author: George Washington Univ., Washington, DC. Center for Washington Area Studies.(BBB30684) Availability: Center for Washington Area Studies, The George Washington University, 805 21st Street, N.W., Media and Public Affairs Building 602, Washington, DC 20052 ($10). Tel: 202-994-5758; Web site: http://www.gwu.edu. Sponsoring Agency: Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer Foundation, Washington, DC. (BBB01226) Publication Date: February 2001 Language: English Pages: 110 Document Type: Reports--Evaluative (142) Journal Announcement: RIEAUG2001 Abstract: This report updates information on existing charter schools, the chartering authorities, and charter school support in the District of Columbia (DC), revisiting concerns raised in a previous report, discussing progress made toward resolution of problems, and addressing newly emerging issues. After an introduction and background, six sections examine: (1) "Patterns of Demand and Supply: Enrollment and School Configurations"; (2) "Charter School Funding Issues"; (3) "Facilities Acquisition Issues"; (4) "Governance and Political Issues" (charter authorities, school-level board of trustees, and political advocacy and return to local educational home rule); (5) "Emerging Issues and Controversies" (whether they are producing better test scores and organizational stability); and (6) "Implications and Recommendations." Demand for charter schools remains strong, though the rate at which new schools are opening is declining. The types of curricula offered by charter schools remain somewhat varied, but most charters are offering a general liberal arts curriculum, with newer schools emphasizing math, sciences, computers, and technical skills oriented around career placement. Charter schools are located throughout the city and serve primarily minority, low-income students. Certain funding problems continue to plague them, and many are having difficulty accessing the buildings they want. Charter school students overall are not performing as well as DC public school students. Teacher and principal turnover is a serious problem for charter schools. Appended is a history of DC's charter school movement. (SM) Descriptors: Academic Achievement; *Charter Schools; Educational Change; Elementary Secondary Education; Enrollment Trends; Financial Support; Governance; Politics of Education; Public Schools; Urban Schools Identifiers: *District of Columbia Public Schools Descriptive Terms: For Making a Choice, Making a Difference? An Evaluation of Charter Schools in the District of Columbia, see ED 443 899. Geographic Source: U.S.; District of Columbia ED449573 EA030861 Third Annual Report on School Performance. Institutional Author: Edison Project, New York, NY.(BBB33511) Availability: EDRS Price MF01/PC07 Plus Postage. Publication Date: August 2000 Language: English Pages: 152 Document Type: Reports--Descriptive (141) Journal Announcement: RIEJUL2001 Abstract: This report provides a consolidated public record of Edison's performance. Edison agrees to provide its local partners exhaustive information each year about the operation and outcomes of its local partnership schools. Edison is also required by charter-school laws to report thoroughly on its schools. The school profiles that follow in this report highlight the 1999-2000 school year, but trace student achievement every year for schools that opened in 1995, 1996, 1997, or 1998. For schools that opened in 1999, the school profiles include baseline data, except in a few cases where achievement trends already exist. Achievement data are complete for most tests taken during the 1999-2000 school year, though a few results had not been released by the time this report went to press. (DFR) Descriptors: *Academic Achievement; *Charter Schools; Elementary Secondary Education; *Minority Groups; *Parent Participation; Public Schools; *School Culture; *Student Experience Geographic Source: U.S.; New York ED445874 RC022659 Charter Schools for American Indians. Author: Bielenberg, Brian Availability: Full text at Web site: http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~jar/LIB/LIB11.html. Publication Date: 2000 Language: English Pages: 20 Document Type: Reports--Evaluative (142); Speeches/meeting papers (150) Journal Announcement: RIEMAR2001 Abstract: An ethnographic study reports on the practices of a sixth grade American Indian teacher at an urban charter middle school for American Indians. The study used classroom observations, interviews, and informal conversations over a 3-week period to determine and understand the personal and institutional influences on her instructional practices. The teacher used a teacher-centered style of instruction. She placed herself at the front of the classroom, used a textbook, and engaged the children in a pattern of initiate-respond-evaluate. This reflects the way she was taught in early and postsecondary schooling; the in-service training she received at the school; and the structure of the school itself, which is unaltered from the traditional secondary school. Despite the teacher-centered methods, her students had much autonomy due to her efforts to establish trust and responsibility. Charter schools provide the opportunity for American Indians to take control of their children's education and create schools outside government bureaucracy. However, this study indicates that simply providing community control and incorporating Indian content in a charter school does not ensure innovation. Educators must change not only what is taught, but also how and where it is taught and the school structure itself. Since many states require certification of charter school teachers, teacher education programs should enable teachers to recognize, teach, and respect different ways of knowing and learning. (Contains 24 references.) (TD) Descriptors: *American Indian Education; *Charter Schools; Classroom Techniques; Cultural Influences; Culturally Relevant Education; *Middle School Teachers; Middle Schools; Resistance to Change; School Community Relationship; *Teaching Methods; *Traditional Schools; Urban American Indians Identifiers: Reform Efforts Descriptive Terms: In: Learn in Beauty: Indigenous Education for a New Century; see RC 022 648. Geographic Source: U.S.; Arizona ED445163 UD033763 The Impact of Limited School Choice on Public School Districts: Case Studies of How School Districts in Michigan's Largest County Are Responding to Competition from Charter Schools and Public "Schools-of-Choice." Author: Ladner, Matthew; Brouillette, Matthew J. Institutional Author: Mackinac Center for Public Policy, Midland, MI.(BBB36194) Availability: Mackinac Center for Public Policy, 140 W. Main Street, P.O. Box 568, Midland, MI 48640 ($5). Tel: 517-631-0900; Web site: http://www.mackinac.org. Publication Date: 2000 ISBN: 1-890624-22-5 Report Number: MCPP-52000-04 Language: English Pages: 36 Document Type: Reports--Evaluative (142) Journal Announcement: RIEFEB2001 Abstract: This study sought to determine whether increased competition among Michigan public schools, resulting from charter schools and the state's "schools-of-choice" program, has improved educational opportunities for children and whether competition encourages or discourages schools to respond to the needs and demands of students and parents. The research relies on information from the Wayne County Regional Service Agency, which contains 34 urban and suburban school districts, and data from state-generated publications. Anecdotal data were gathered through interviews with district superintendents and charter school principals. The evidence suggests that those who seek to improve education for Michigan children should embrace competition among schools rather than fear it. Competition has provided a powerful incentive for improvement while expanding the ability of parents to choose the school that best meets the needs of their children. There is very little evidence to suggest that competition has harmed the cause of better education in Michigan, and there is clear evidence that school choice and competition put pressure on low-performing school districts to improve. Recommendations are made for expanding parental choice in education. Appendixes contain a chart of student enrollment in Wayne County and a description of theme schools and academies in Dearborn, Michigan. (Contains 42 footnotes.) (SLD) Descriptors: Case Studies; *Charter Schools; *Competition; *Educational Improvement; Elementary Secondary Education; Public Schools; *School Choice Identifiers: *Michigan Geographic Source: U.S.; Michigan ED445100 TM031781 Test Results from Massachusetts Charter Schools: A Preliminary Study. Author: Hamilton, Scott; Herdman, Paul Institutional Author: Massachusetts State Dept. of Education, Boston.(MGG47325) Availability: EDRS Price MF01/PC02 Plus Postage. Governmental Status: State Publication Date: June 01, 1997 Language: English Pages: 49 Document Type: Reports--Evaluative (142) Journal Announcement: RIEFEB2001 Abstract: Test results for students from Massachusetts charter schools were analyzed. As 14 Massachusetts charter schools completed their second year of operation, and 7 more finished their first year, results from standardized tests taken by charter school students were becoming available. Test results are the only indicators of performance analyzed in this report, although they will not be the only indicators considered by the Massachusetts Department of Education in evaluating the performance of a charter school. Tests results show that, with two exceptions, students who entered the charter schools on average scored at, or below, district or national test averages. Other data also suggest that 80% of the charter schools that opened in 1995 (12 of 15) have enrolled students who are average or below average in academic performance. Early preliminary results for charter schools from other sources are promising, and charter schools are now using a combination of standardized tests, portfolio assessment, and other performance measures in order to demonstrate educational results. An appendix contains an assessment profile for each of 22 charter schools. (SLD) Descriptors: *Achievement Tests; *Charter Schools; Elementary Education; Standardized Tests; *Test Results Identifiers: *Massachusetts Geographic Source: U.S.; Massachusetts ED444251 EA030570 Can Markets Set Bureaucrats Free? The Effects of School Choice on Teacher Empowerment in the Public Schools. Author: Hess, Frederick M.; Maranto, Robert; Milliman, Scott Availability: EDRS Price MF01/PC01 Plus Postage. Publication Date: April 2000 Language: English Pages: 22 Document Type: Opinion papers (120); Reports--Evaluative (142); Speeches/meeting papers (150) Journal Announcement: RIEFEB2001 Abstract: Consideration of choice-based reform in educational governance rests heavily on the assumption that markets will improve school performance. Nonetheless, little empirical research has examined how educational organizations respond to competition. This paper hypothesizes that administrators are likely to respond by adopting governance reforms--particularly decentralization and staff-empowerment measures--advocated by educational reformers. This study further suggests that they are most likely to pursue decentralization when the costs of persuasion and monitoring are low. The study uses data from Arizona to assess the effects of charter-school competition on empowerment in a sample of 87 public schools (959 teachers). Charter-school competition increased teacher empowerment in traditional schools by slight to moderate amounts from 1994-95 (before charter schooling was introduced) to 1997-98, but only in schools where teachers were already somewhat empowered prior to competition. At least in the short run, the effects of charter schooling in public-school governance depend on public-school structure and culture. (Author/DFR) Descriptors: Administrative Organization; *Charter Schools; *Decentralization; *Educational Administration; *Educational Change; Elementary Secondary Education; Governance; *Marketing; *Public Schools; Staff Development Identifiers: *Arizona Descriptive Terms: Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association (New Orleans, Louisiana, April 24-28, 2000). Geographic Source: U.S.; Virginia ED443899 UD033673 Making a Choice, Making a Difference? An Evaluation of Charter Schools in the District of Columbia. Author: Henig, Jeffrey R.; Moser, Michele; Holyoke, Thomas T.; Lacireno-Paquet, Natalie; Holyoke, Thomas T. Institutional Author: George Washington Univ., Washington, DC. Center for Washington Area Studies.(BBB30684) Availability: EDRS Price MF01 Plus Postage. PC Not Available from EDRS. Sponsoring Agency: Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer Foundation, Washington, DC. (BBB01226) Publication Date: November 1999 Language: English Pages: 116 Document Type: Reports--Evaluative (142) Journal Announcement: RIEJAN2001 Abstract: This report is an assessment of the charter school program in the District of Columbia during the 1998-1999 school year. It provides descriptive information on public charter schools based on more than 70 interviews with school leaders, teachers, parents, charter advocates, and government officials. Findings show that charter schools in the District of Columbia have found an eager clientele. Although it was initially imposed by Congress, the charter school concept in many respects reflects the District's tradition of homegrown efforts to reform education through decentralization and choice. From the perspective of DC parents, the specific pedagogical and organizational distinctions among the charter schools may be less significant than the simple fact that they represent something different from their children's current schools. The smaller size and more intimate setting of charter schools may also contribute to their appeal. For those who fear that charter schools will cater to an already favored elite, the evidence from the District is generally reassuring. However, preliminary evidence suggests that charter schools will not produce the substantial cost-savings that some envisioned. Evidence does not suggest that parental involvement is higher for public charter schools, and it is too early to determine whether public charter schools have improved student achievement. Charter school progress in the District of Columbia suffers from breakdowns in communication and some bureaucratic tensions, but some of the tension is a predictable and perhaps unavoidable offshoot of the deliberately ambiguous nature of the charter concept. It is not yet clear whether charter schools will lead to the revitalization of the traditional public education system or its evisceration. Some recommendations are made for the cautious embrace of charter schools with targeted support and clear management policies. (Contains 9 figures, 4 tables, and 66 endnotes.) (SLD) Descriptors: *Charter Schools; Educational Change; Elementary Secondary Education; *Instructional Effectiveness; Public Schools; *School Choice; Urban Schools Identifiers: *District of Columbia; Reform Efforts Geographic Source: U.S.; District of Columbia ED443896 UD033620 An Examination of Charter School Equity. Author: Ascher, Carol; Wamba, Nathalis Institutional Author: New York Univ., NY. Inst. for Education and Social Policy.(BBB33307) Availability: EDRS Price MF01/PC03 Plus Postage. Sponsoring Agency: Annie E. Casey Foundation, Baltimore, MD. (BBB32721)@; Carnegie Corp. of New York, NY. (QPX12280)@; Rockefeller Foundation, New York, NY. (BBB00165) Publication Date: May 22, 2000 Language: English Pages: 55 Document Type: Reports--Evaluative (142); Speeches/meeting papers (150) Journal Announcement: RIEJAN2001 Abstract: Issues related to educational equity and charter schools are discussed, and evidence is presented from a national study of equity in charter schools. Three standards of equity are discussed, and the equity provisions of state charter legislation are reviewed. To supplement existing studies of charter school demography, researchers at New York University's Institute for Education and Social Policy began to collect demographic data on charter schools. The database for this study included 801 charter schools. Data from these schools indicate that 70% of all charter schools are not distinct from their surrounding districts in the percentage of white students. In 31% of all charter schools, more than two-thirds of students are students of color, and only 47% of these schools are indistinct from their district averages. Overall, data suggest that charter schools may be proliferating at both the low and high ends of the race/ethnicity and affluence/poverty continuums. Data from this study cannot show that charter schools are exacerbating racial isolation or creating more isolation by social class, but some state-level case studies suggest that this is the case. Fieldwork suggests that some charter schools may well have developed educational programs that draw a range of students, and some may be providing high quality educational opportunities to low income students of color. However, state studies suggest that charter schools serving low-income children of color are less likely to provide an academic curriculum and are generally not as rich in resources as charter schools serving white, middle-class students. Some equity issues, particularly those associated with outcomes of education, remain unresolved for charter schools. (Contains 4 figures, 1 table, and 52 references.) (SLD) Descriptors: Academic Standards; *Charter Schools; Demography; *Disadvantaged Youth; Elementary Secondary Education; *Equal Education; *Racial Composition; *School Choice; Student Characteristics; Urban Schools Descriptive Terms: Paper presented at a conference on "School Choice and Racial Diversity" (New York, NY, May 22, 2000). Geographic Source: U.S.; New York ED443196 EA030529 Colorado Charter Schools Evaluation Study, 1998-1999: The Characteristics, Status and Performance Record of Colorado Charter Schools. Author: Fitzgerald, Joy Institutional Author: Colorado State Dept. of Education, Denver.(DUN16650) Availability: EDRS Price MF01/PC10 Plus Postage. Governmental Status: State Publication Date: January 2000 Language: English Pages: 240 Document Type: Numerical/Quantitative Data (110); Reports--Evaluative (142) Journal Announcement: RIEJAN2001 Abstract: This study identifies several trends related to the performance of Colorado charter schools. In the 1998-99 school year, their performance as a whole on the Colorado Student Assessment Program was stronger than state averages, stronger than sponsoring district averages, and stronger than the average performance of other public schools in the same socioeconomic classification level. The great majority of charter schools were meeting--or exceeding--the performance goals they identified in their individual charter applications and in subsequent school-improvement plans. The market indicators--waiting lists, retention rates, and parent satisfaction--were, as a whole, positive. These charter schools were diverse in size, educational programs, educational philosophies, approach to governance, and assessment strategies. Finally, as a group, the schools were demonstrating increased maturity to measure, track, and report student and school performance data. Appendices list the Colorado Charter Schools Act and supply questionnaire and school profile/data forms. (DFR) Descriptors: *Academic Achievement; *Charter Schools; *Educational Change; Elementary Secondary Education; Evaluation Criteria; Experimental Curriculum; Experimental Schools; Government Publications; Institutional Evaluation; *Nontraditional Education; Parent Participation; *Parent School Relationship; Performance Factors Identifiers: *Colorado State Department of Education Geographic Source: U.S.; Colorado ED443151 EA030458 Creating Working Relationships: How Can School Districts and Charter Schools Work Together Effectively? Knowledge Brief. Author: Izu, Jo Ann Institutional Author: WestEd, San Francisco, CA.(BBB33305) Availability: WestED, 730 Harrison Street, San Francisco, CA 94107-1242. Tel: 415-565-3000; Web site: http://WestEd.org. Sponsoring Agency: Office of Educational Research and Improvement (ED), Washington, DC. (EDD00036) Publication Date: 2000 Language: English Pages: 13 Document Type: Reports--Evaluative (142) Journal Announcement: RIEJAN2001 Abstract: California state law requires a sponsoring agency to determine whether charter schools nearing the end of their term should have their charters renewed. Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) was one of the first to grant charter school status, and consequently among the first to renew school charters. The district contracted with WestEd, a nonprofit research, development and service agency, to conduct an evaluation of 13 of the district's operating charter schools (elementary, middle, and high school levels) with an emphasis on the schools whose charter terms were nearing an end. The 5-month evaluation was designed to provide one piece of information that could be brought to bear on the board's renewal decisions. This brief provides a description of LAUSD's charter schools, types of charter school sponsorship, and information regarding such problems as liaison between school and district, interaction between charter and other schools, performance goals and accountability systems, and how districts can work better with charter schools. (Contains 11 references.) (DFR) Descriptors: *Academic Standards; *Accountability; *Charter Schools; *Cooperation; Educational Assessment; Educational Change; Elementary Secondary Education; Evaluation Criteria; Public Schools; *Resource Allocation; *School Districts; School Effectiveness Descriptive Terms: Editorial assistance provided by David Ruenzel. Geographic Source: U.S.; California ED441942 UD033619 Standards-Based Reform and the Charter School Movement in 1998-99: An Analysis of Four States. Final Report to the Edna McConnell Clark Foundation. Author: Ascher, Carol; Jacobowitz, Robin; McBride, Yolanda Institutional Author: New York Univ., NY. Inst. for Education and Social Policy.(BBB33307) Availability: EDRS Price MF01/PC02 Plus Postage. Sponsoring Agency: Edna McConnell Clark Foundation, New York, NY. (BBB11688) Publication Date: August 1999 Language: English Pages: 34 Document Type: Reports--Research (143) Journal Announcement: RIENOV2000 Abstract: The Institute for Education and Social Policy assessed the relationship between standards-based reform and the charter school movement in four states: Texas, Massachusetts, California, and Louisiana. These states were selected because they are the focus of other projects sponsored by the Edna McConnell Clark Foundation and because, as a group, they offer interesting variations in the status of standards-based reform. Site visits were made to nine schools, two in three states, and three in California. Researchers held interviews with 13 administrators, 24 teachers, and many students, and conducted 14 teacher and parent focus groups. Sites visits were supplemented by document collection and telephone interviews with state education officials and interviews with state charter resource staff. The charters of schools in this sample were at times superseded by state or district decisions that reshaped aspects of the charter school, eroding its accountability. Five of the nine schools served local students as well as choice students. Charter schools also experienced state and district standards through the interaction of specific teachers, specific students, and curriculum over the school year. Charter schools in this sample appeared to receive relatively little professional development for standards-based reform, but they generally were not out of the loop when it came to receiving state and district mandates. Experience with these schools suggests that charter school funding may be reproducing the resource disparities that exist in traditional public schools. (Contains 17 references.) (SLD) Descriptors: *Academic Standards; Accountability; *Charter Schools; *Educational Change; Elementary Secondary Education; Equal Education; Professional Development; Public Schools; *Racial Composition; *State Programs Identifiers: California; Louisiana; Massachusetts; Texas Geographic Source: U.S.; New York ED439521 EA030329 Community as Incentive in the Formation of Charter Schools. Author: Freeman, Eric Availability: EDRS Price MF01/PC02 Plus Postage. Publication Date: April 1999 Language: English Pages: 45 Document Type: Reports--Evaluative (142); Speeches/meeting papers (150) Journal Announcement: RIESEP2000 Abstract: This paper is based on a study of four newly created charter schools in North Carolina. It explores the purpose and values that prompted and guided the initial formation of these schools. It opens with a review of the conflicting claims and ambivalent purposes that characterize the policy environment as it pertains to charter-school reform. This overview is followed by an examination of the challenges such schools face in remaining faithful to democratic ideals. For the study, two founders, the principal, and four teachers were observed and interviewed in each of the four schools to learn what they brought into these alternative learning environments in the way of knowledge, beliefs, experiences, and dispositions. The article describes the three dimensions of the schools that proved central to their establishing a distinctive community identity: social vision, inclusive leadership, and congruent pedagogy. The findings contradict the popular perception of charter schools as normatively coherent learning communities whose members are unified around a set of implicitly shared values and goals. The paper concludes that reductionist notions of charter unity ignore the harder truth that achieving authentic community schools entails much more than filtering out potentially dissonant elements. (Contains 91 references.) (RJM) Descriptors: *Charter Schools; Educational Change; *Educational Environment; Educational Philosophy; Elementary Secondary Education; Program Descriptions; *School Choice; School Community Relationship Identifiers: *North Carolina Descriptive Terms: Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association (Montreal, Quebec, Canada, April 19-23, 1999). Geographic Source: U.S.; North Carolina ED438990 RC022318 Charter Schools: Today. Changing the Face of American Education. Institutional Author: Center for Education Reform, Washington, DC.(BBB33492) Availability: The Center for Education Reform, 1001 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 204, Washington, DC 20036 ($19.95 plus $3 shipping). Tel: 800-521-2118 (Toll Free). Publication Date: 2000 ISBN: 0-9646028-1-4 Language: English Pages: 141 Document Type: Book (010); Information Analysis (070); Reports--Evaluative (142) Journal Announcement: RIEAUG2000 Abstract: This progress report reviews comprehensive research on the impact of the nation's charter schools on education and the education system. Chapter 1 looks at the "ripple effect" charter schools have on public schools. Charter schools' efforts to improve public education create new choices for parents. The competition causes public schools in areas with charter schools to accelerate systemwide school improvement to keep up. Ripple effects in 15 states are discussed. Of seven national and state studies, six studies demonstrate a positive ripple effect of charter schools on their peer districts; one does not. The second chapter examines obstacles and opposition to charter schools, which are divided into two categories: political opposition and operational hurdles. Chapter 3 presents charter school successes in 14 states that are examples of objective, verifiable academic achievement. More than 50 reports on the progress, success rates, and achievement of charter schools have been completed--over 80 percent show charter schools achieving their goals. The next chapter discusses charter schools that have closed and why, noting that only 2.3 percent have closed. The final chapter reports on a nationwide survey that focused on the operations, educational practices, successes, and challenges of 304 charter schools in 23 states and the District of Columbia. Key findings focus on small size, choice, chartering bodies, funding, facilities, and student diversity. Six appendices contain the national survey questionnaire, authorizing bodies for charter schools, funding information, location examples, a glossary, and a bibliography. (TD) Descriptors: *Charter Schools; *Educational Change; Educational Practices; Educational Research; Elementary Secondary Education; Financial Support; *Nontraditional Education; Outcomes of Education; Parent Participation; *Politics of Education; Public Education; School Surveys; Small Schools Identifiers: *Reform Efforts Descriptive Terms: Contributors are Jeanne Allen, Angela Dale, Dave DeSchryver, Mary Kayne Heinze, and Christine Lynd. Special thanks is given to Thomas R. Healy. Geographic Source: U.S.; District of Columbia ED435811 CE079343 An Inventory of Business-Linked Charter Schools. Institutional Author: Public Policy Associates, Inc., Lansing, MI.(BBB35794); National Alliance of Business, Inc., Washington, DC.(BBB17805); Michigan Future, Inc., Ann Arbor.(BBB34975) Availability: EDRS Price MF01/PC07 Plus Postage. Sponsoring Agency: Department of Education, Washington, DC. (EDD00001) Publication Date: December 1998 Language: English Pages: 168 Document Type: Reports--Research (143) Journal Announcement: RIEMAY2000 Abstract: An inventory of business-linked charter schools operating in the United States was developed. The data collection methods used to develop the inventory were as follows: soliciting nominations from key contacts in each state having charter school legislation; comparing the nominations with lists of charter schools from selected state education department Web sites; identifying additional schools through personal contacts at a 1997 national charter schools conference; and searching the school profile database. A total of 77 business-linked charter schools were identified, and profiling of each school was initiated. To date, 59 summary profiles have been developed. The inventory established the existence of four broad types of career orientation at various business-linked charter schools: career preparation; career focus; career informed; and noncareer partnership. Six recurring themes identified during the inventory were explored in depth: (1) stages of school development and their implications for cross-fertilization; (2) adapting to the environment; (3) career path identification and choice; (4) customized design options; (5) variability of organizational structures; and (6) impact of state legislation on business-linked charter schools. (The bibliography contains 22 references. Appendixes, constituting approximately 50% of the document, contain an overview of the research methods and the 59 summary profile sheets.) (MN) Descriptors: Academic Achievement; *Charter Schools; Conventional Instruction; Curriculum Development; *Education Work Relationship; Educational Benefits; Educational Improvement; Educational Legislation; Educational Needs; Educational Objectives; Educational Practices; Evaluation Methods; Experiential Learning; Federal Legislation; Innovation; Labor Force Development; Labor Needs; Mentors; National Surveys; Nontraditional Education; *Partnerships in Education; Public Education; Role Models; *School Business Relationship; Secondary Education; Staff Development; Student Evaluation; *Vocational Education Identifiers: *Contextual Learning; School to Work Opportunities Act 1994 Descriptive Terms: For related documents on charter schools, see CE 079 344-345. Contract Number: SB97023001 Geographic Source: U.S.; Michigan ED434396 EA030057 Charter Schools: ED-Sponsored Charter School Research and Demonstration Programs. Research Today. Institutional Author: National Inst. on Student Achievement, Curriculum, and Assessment (ED/OERI), Washington, DC.(EDD00100) Availability: EDRS Price MF01/PC01 Plus Postage. Governmental Status: Federal Publication Date: August 1999 Report Number: SAI-1999-3014 Language: English Pages: 9 Document Type: Information Analysis (070) Journal Announcement: RIEMAR2000 Abstract: This report offers a brief synopsis of findings from a comprehensive, 4-year study of charter schools. The study was designed to find out what types of students attend charter schools, how charter laws and policies affect charter schools in each state, the conditions under which charter schools improve or do not improve student achievement and other aspects of student learning, and how charter schools affect local and state systems of public education. The study, which began in 1995, gathered data through an annual telephone survey of all charter schools, intensive case studies of 90 charter schools and a smaller number of comparison schools, and interviews with staff at charter-granting agencies, state educational agencies, and school districts. The report lists research projects on charter-school accountability, charter schools and students with disabilities, charter-school finance, staffing, an evaluation of the national public charter-school program, and a study of growth in student achievement. The report also describes other research projects, such as project EARCH (Special Education as Requirements in Charter Schools), and offers overviews of demonstration and support programs, such as leadership training and the charter-school teacher program. The document closes with a list of information sources on charter-school programs. (RJM) Descriptors: *Charter Schools; *Educational Assessment; Educational Improvement; Elementary Secondary Education; Longitudinal Studies; *National Surveys; Program Descriptions; *Summative Evaluation Geographic Source: U.S.; District of Columbia ED433616 EA030034 Minnesota Charter Schools Evaluation: Final Report. Author: Lange, Cheryl; Lehr, Camilla; Seppanen, Patricia; Sinclair, Mary Institutional Author: Minnesota Univ., Minneapolis. Center for Applied Research and Educational Improvement.(BBB30422) Availability: Center for Applied Research and Educational Improvement (CAREI), 265-2 Peik Hall, 159 Pillsbury Drive S.E., University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455-0208. Tel: 612-625-6364; For full text: http://carei.coled.umn.edu . Publication Date: 1998 Language: English Pages: 133 Document Type: Reports--Evaluative (142); Test/questionnaires (160) Journal Announcement: RIEFEB2000 Abstract: This final report includes findings that were published in a December 1996 interim report and additional findings regarding student academic performance. Four types of data collection were used: a descriptive database for |