Democratic representation and charter school governance: The case of KIPP

Abstract

The growth of school choice options such as charter schools is often understood as a way to meet the needs of under-represented communities, but concerns have been raised as to the diversity of those promoting and leading such options, as well as for the voices of those whose schooling is being reformed. Garrett Wilson and Christopher Lubienski examined governing boards in one of the most popular chains of charter schools, finding that public school boards are often smaller and more diverse with broader racial and female membership. They explore reasons for these patterns and discuss implications for democratic governance of public education.