Charter Schools' Impact on Public Education

Abstract

The impact of charter schools on public education has been debated since the first one opened in Minnesota, USA, in 1992. Charter schools currently operate in 43 US states and the District of Columbia, educating 6% of all publicly funded K-12 students. Proponents argue that charter schools improve public education by creating competition that encourages local public schools to up their game to retain and attract students and the funding associated with them. This theory, however, is built on problematic assumptions about charter schools; the kind of competition they create; the students who attend charter and traditional public schools; and how to measure their performance. This chapter examines the validity of those assumptions, drawing on extensive research to assess the impact of charter schools on students, district public schools, and communities.